Lonely Heart In Egypt
by AnimeAngel90
Summary: Yami is Pharaoh of Egypt. He is known for being coldhearted and alone in the world. But what happens when you add a cheerful, beautiful girl to his life? And then you try to take her away? It turns his world upside down. Please R&R! Completed!
1. Introductions

Angel: This story is set back in Ancient Egypt and some historical points are completely made up by me. I am simply adding a made-up country, and a couple of OC's. This is my first story, so please give me a little bit of leniency.

Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Yugioh. Yet.

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 1: Introductions

Yami sighed. He was bored out of his mind, although he was trying hard not to show it. It was his 18th birthday celebration and most of the neighbouring rulers had come to the palace. He had spoken to so many that he had forgotten most of their names. This was mostly due to severe boredom. He was also quite angry at his advisors: they were trying to 'subtly' find him a suitable wife...again.

A voice then interrupted his boredom. "Pharaoh Yami?" a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh, hello King Isaac."

"I was wondering if I had introduced my daughter to you.'

Yami felt his anger rising again, though he somehow managed to keep his face expressionless. Here was someone _else_ trying to marry him off. "No, you haven't yet."

"Would you like to meet her then?"

"I would be delighted," he said calmly, practically through clenched teeth. _'Ra, why do you hate me so?_' he thought to himself in exasperation.

"Very well my pharaoh. My dear, could you please come here?"

A young girl that had caught Yami's eye a few minutes earlier turned from the advisor that she had been talking to and walked over to the king. "Yes, father?"

"I want you to meet the Pharaoh, Yami. Pharaoh, this is my daughter Crystal."

Yami turned to survey the girl. She was very beautiful, with large, sparkling, bright blue eyes and gold hair that flowed down her back in gentle waves. She also had a light tan, unlike most of the others in the room whose skin was practically brown from the sun. She was dressed in a long-sleeved, light blue dress with gold jewellery and a gold tiara. The gold tiara had a drop of water dangling from it with a tiny silver Star of Isis in the centre.

The young girl was also surveying Yami. '_Oh Ra, he's so handsome!'_ was her immediate thought. And he was too. Her gaze was first drawn to his piercing crimson eyes staring at her from under his blond bangs. His blond, violet and black spiked hair gave him an unusual, yet handsome, appearance. Not to mention his bronzed skin. He was dressed in a gold chest plate, red cape, cream robe with a gold belt for decoration, and gold armbands. The gold Millenium Puzzle gleamed around his neck on a fine chain.

Crystal pulled herself together and finally stopped staring. "It is a pleasure to meet you my lord," she said as she bowed, her hand outstretched.

"The pleasure is all mine, my lady," Yami said as he took her hand and kissed it.

She blushed at this, and Yami heard the jealous and envious whispers of some of the nearby girls, much to his amusement.

Isaac appeared not to notice this. "Excuse me, my lord. I know I should not ask favours of you, but could you please show my daughter around the palace? She gets bored rather easily, I'm afraid."

"Father, I wasn't bored."

"You looked bored to me."

"According to you, I'm bored whenever I'm around a gentleman of means," she replied, a soft smile on her face.

Yami coughed politely to inform the two that he was still there and listening to them. "My lady, if you would permit it, I would be honoured to show you the palace."

Crystal stopped arguing with her father and blushed again. "I couldn't ask that of you my lord! I'm sure you have better things to do."

"Actually my lady, I was feeling slightly bored myself."

"Well, if you would be willing…………"

"Of course my lady."

"Could you show me the gardens first then? I have heard of their beauty and would love to see them for myself."

"Then that is where we will begin."

"Well Father, I shall see you later," she said as she kissed her father's cheek in farewell and moved towards the throne room exit.

Yami moved to follow her, but Isaac held him back. "My lord, I do not mean to doubt you, but could you please take good care of my daughter? I have reason to believe that someone is trying to kidnap or at the least harm her, and I do not wish that to happen. I hope you aren't offended, but I worry."

"Worry not, I am not offended. I will take good care of Princess Crystal whenever she is with me. You have my word."

"Thank you, my pharaoh."

"You are welcome."

Yami then walked quickly over to Crystal, who was standing in the entranceway looking curious. "What kept you, my lord?"

"Your father merely wanted to speak with me in private for a moment. Shall we?" he asked as he extended his arm to her.

Crystal smiled, and linked her arms through his. "Lead on then, my pharaoh."

Yami headed towards the gardens, but his female advisor, Isis, stopped him. "My lord? The king of Libya should be arriving soon, and shouldn't you be here to greet him?"

Yami knew exactly what Isis was trying to do, and he was not impressed. "Isis, I am showing Princess Crystal around the palace at the moment. Besides, Mahaado told me that the king of Libya would not be arriving until almost sundown."

Isis frowned at the Dark Magician as he emerged from the shadows. "Thanks a lot," she muttered to him.

Mahaado, the Dark Magician, merely smiled at her in response.

Isis decided that she had better attempt to regain at least some dignity. "I was unaware of that my lord. Mahaado did not tell me of this."

Yami sighed, though a slight smile formed on his face. "Isis, I think you should return to your duties; most particularly those that _I_ have appointed to you."

Isis felt her face flush in embarrassment but she nodded, murmured an apology and left again.

Crystal, who had politely moved away as Isis had approached, looked confused. "If you don't mind my asking, what was that about?" she asked before starting as she saw Mahaado.

Yami sighed. "Crystal, this is Mahaado, my personal guardian and friend. Mahaado, this is Princess Crystal."

Mahaado nodded hello at Crystal, and she bowed politely. "It is a pleasure to meet you Mahaado," she said with a smile as she straightened.

Mahaado looked pleased at her words. Few ever spoke directly to him, treating him like an object rather then another living creature. Normally he'd assume she was just being polite, but he suspected she really was glad to meet him. Mahaado smiled at her and then spoke telepathically to Yami.

"_Well, she seems very well-spoken and I'd even say quite a nice girl."_

"_From what I have seen of her so far, she is."_

"_Strange that you have noticed her personality. Judging by your expression and thoughts over the last few minutes, I was under the impression you had noticed little else besides how beautiful she is. And I know I'm right, because you are blushing"_

"_Am not."_

Crystal was watching Yami curiously. "Are you all right? You look dazed."

"Hmmm? Oh, sorry. I'm just a bit out of it today. Shall we continue?"

Crystal opened her mouth to reply, but the high priest of Seth, Seto Kaiba, walked up behind her. "Crystal? Your father is looking for you. I suggest you come with me to find him. He seemed upset."

Crystal smiled sweetly. "I'm quite sure it is nothing too urgent. If something dreadful had happened, my father would have sent one of his guards to find me or come to find me himself. Besides, Father knows where I am. So thank you for the message, but I'm sure whatever it is can wait a few minutes."

Kaiba looked frustrated for a brief moment, then he recomposed himself, nodded to the two and left.

Yami glanced at the retreating back of his High Priest, wondering what was going on. "Forgive my bluntness, but what was that all about?"

Crystal smiled serenely, the picture of innocence. "I'm quite sure I have no idea what you are talking about," she said calmly, though her eyes showed she was laughing on the inside.

Yami smiled in response. "No offence meant my lady, but I'm inclined to believe otherwise."

She laughed. "I would think you quite the fool if you didn't."

Yami chuckled. "Well, it is good to know I am not a fool then. Now, as to what just happened...?"

Crystal sighed in exasperation. "You don't give up do you?" she said half-crossly, though the smile on her face indicated she wasn't really upset by it. "Fine. I will tell you if you tell me what happened before between you and your advisor, Isis."

Yami's lips turned up in a slight smile. "Ladies first. You can start when we get to the gardens, which I hope will be deserted."

"Embarrassed to be seen with me?"

Yami blushed, "Of course not! I meant free of guards and other interruptions."

"I'm only teasing you my Pharaoh. And very well then."

Angel: Well, how was the re-edited version of this chapter? I nearly died when reading the original; I don't know how I got any reviewers! Hopefully this version is a lot better

As quoted by the wonderful WSJ: God bless minna-san! Go WSJ! Read her series _The Tales of the Child of Fate_ and love it! It starts with _Visions of the Heart._

Reviews please! (preferably no flames but if you want to, go ahead, it's still a review, so HA!)


	2. The Romantic Pasts of the Royals

Angel: Editing is horrible, but at least it takes far less time than writing the original :D. Crystal, do the disclaimer.

Crystal: (sighs) Fine. Angel does not own Yugioh. At least not until the court case is over.

Angel: Stupid court case.

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 2: The Romantic Pasts of the Royals

Crystal was amazed. She and Yami had reached the gardens, and they truly were beautiful. The plants were colourful and thriving. This reminded her of the gardens at………

"My lady?" Yami asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Yes, my pharaoh?"

Yami raised his eyebrow. "Could you please call me by my first name? I feel uncomfortable to be addressed so formally in private situations."

Crystal smiled. "I understand how you feel. But only if you also call me Crystal."

"Well, only because you insist," Yami replied, a slightly mischievous smile crossing his face. "Anyway, back to what we were doing, do you want me to show you the labyrinth? The gardens in the centre are even more beautiful than this one, and we are even less likely to be disturbed."

"Anything you say my liege," she said with a flourishing bow. Yami frowned at her, and she chuckled. "Sorry Yami."

His frown remained, but he didn't look cross. "You can start your story now if you like, as it will take a while to get there."

"Well, forgive me for not telling you the whole story, but I feel a little odd narrating personal stories to someone I barely know. Anyway, what I will tell you is that Seto has had a crush on me for some time. Even though he is a priest, he wants to marry me. Father agrees with the match, as Seto is a fairly well-spoken person, and knows the intricacy of politics very well, but I find myself uneasy about the whole dilemma.

She paused for a brief moment. "Something's not quite right about it. I've known Seto for years, and he's never shown the slightest interest in marrying me until a few months ago. It is frankly rather strange."

Yami looked thoughtful at her words. "I agree. I doubt I know my cousin as well as you seem to, but such a sudden change in his affections is most unlike him."

Crystal looked surprised. "I was unaware that Seto was your cousin. You don't look at all alike." Yami smiled at this, but Crystal held up a hand to prevent further comment. "Yami, do you get the feeling someone is watching us?" she asked, a slight edge to her voice.

Yami looked slightly surprised at the question, and remained silent for a few moments before answering. "Come to think of it, I believe I do."

Crystal smiled and shook her head ruefully. "I thought as much. Mana! Come out, I know you're there."

Grumbling, a Duel Monster stepped out from around the corner, a slightly sheepish look on her face. Yami instantly recognised her as the Dark Magician Girl. He vaguely remembered Mahaado talking of her one afternoon a long time ago – he remembered teasing him about it. But the Dark Magician Girl was quite beautiful in her own way. Her emerald coloured eyes sparkled in the same way as Crystal's did when she was happy, and her long gold hair was pulled neatly-ish into her hat. However, her outfit was far more modest than Yami had expected from stories told about this particular Duel Monster. She was dressed in a rather strange outfit of pink and blue, though admittedly, the skirt was rather short in comparison with her long legs. But other than that, her outfit was far more modest than he had been lead to believe.

"Yami, this is Mana, my fun-loving and fiercely loyal guardian. Mana, this is Pharaoh Yami," Crystal said, interrupting Yami's thoughts

Yami was startled when Mana spoke. "It is good to meet you, my lord," she said with a respectful bow.

"You can talk?" Yami asked with a raised eyebrow.

Mana sounded irritated, "Of course I can! Just because some Duel monsters can only speak through the mind doesn't mean the rest of us can't talk 'normally'."

Yami looked embarrassed at her sharp words, and bowed. "I apologize, Mana. I did not mean to be rude, but I have had rarely spoken with Duel Monsters other than Mahaado, so my judgement on this particular issue is clouded."

Mana shrugged. "Oh, don't worry about it my Pharaoh. You're not the first to assume such, though you are the first to apologise for it. Sorry for spying on you two, but Crystal's used to it by now. Crystal, I'll be around if you need me," she said as she raised her staff in mock salute.

Crystal shook her head in exasperation, but a smile still crept onto her face. "I'll be sure to keep an eye out for you then," she replied in amusement. "See you later."

Mana chuckled. "Honey, you know me too well. Farewell Pharaoh," she said as she waved to the pair and left.

After she'd gone, Crystal grinned at Yami, who took her arm again and continued towards the centre of the labyrinth. "Well that was Mana. She is quite protective of me, even though Father does not trust her. He doesn't let go off on my own, even with her around," she said with a sigh, a sad note creeping into her voice.

Yami noticed that she seemed upset, and decided to attempt to cheer her up. "Do not worry," he said kindly. "I'm sure that he'll learn to trust the two of you soon. Personally, I think that if she is anything like Mahaado, your father should be more worried about how reckless you will become in the knowledge that she is always there to cover you."

Crystal blushed and then glared at the Pharaoh. Yami looked rather nervous at being the focus of her glare. "I did not mean that you were reckless! I meant that you could become reckless, though I doubt that could ever happen to you and…………"

Crystal laughed as Yami tried in vain to say what he meant, "Don't worry about it! I know what you meant. It's sweet how you don't want to insult me, especially considering your reputation."

Yami, who had raised an eyebrow at the beginning of the sentence, felt his anger rising again. "My reputation? What, pray tell, is it at the moment?"

"Oh, just that you don't care about anyone other than yourself," she answered carelessly, sounding slightly sarcastic. She punctuated her disbelief in that sentence by rolling her eyes at him. "But I somehow doubt the truth of this statement," she said with a chuckle.

Yami pouted at this, and tried to look angry at the same time. The result was a rather adorable expression that caused Crystal to laugh again. Yami raised an eyebrow at the unexpected reaction, but she just shook her head when he asked for an explanation, and started laughing as he pouted yet again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A short while later the pair reached the centre of the labyrinth, and Yami helped Crystal to sit down on the edge of the fountain in its centre. Apparently oblivious to their surroundings, the pair continued talking.

"I think one of the main reasons Seto is so persistent is because my father is trying to find me a husband at the moment. What I said to my Father earlier about being bored around every gentleman in indeed true. Whenever we go to visit some prince or king, Father always makes me spend time with the 'prospective suitor' and often he shows me around the palace. It gets rather tedious at times, particularly when I am enjoying myself before my father introduces me to the blessed royal family member."

"Does that mean you consider me a possible husband?" Yami asked, sounding rather nervous at the prospect.

"Well, I………I have always wanted to see the palace here, anyway," she said quickly, avoiding the question, and turning away so that Yami couldn't see her blushing. In doing so, she missed the slightly hurt look on his face.

Yami wondered why he felt hurt. _'She is just a girl...alright, a very beautiful girl...but why should I care about who she choses to marry? Why should I care if she considers me or not? But for some reason I do care. Dear Ra, I have only just met the girl. I can't have feelings for her already...can I?_' Yami thought to himself. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he almost didn't hear her next words.

"Yami, are you having an arranged marriage or something?"

Yami looked slightly startled by the question. "I do believe I am. I just don't know whom to, as my advisors haven't chosen yet. As a matter of fact, that is what Isis and I spoke about before."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that because I was spending time with a girl of my own free will, I am apparently in love with her. Isis would assume this as I rarely spend time with any girls unless I am forced to, because I am very against this whole marriage idea. But then again, I do not know what goes on in that woman's mind. But I digress. I was bored, and your father requested that I accompany you, so I decided to show you around."

"Well I am glad you did."

Yami blushed, but Crystal didn't notice, as she was gazing about the garden in wonder, seemingly having only just realized where they were. "Yami, is this the garden you spoke of?"

Yami smiled in amusement at her wonder. "Yes. Are you surprised?"

"It's gorgeous! The flowers are so beautiful!"

"Not half as beautiful as you," Yami said softly as he moved to stand beside her. She looked pleased and surprised at the compliment, but then realized that Yami seemed unaware that he had even said anything, which made her feel sad.

Crystal sighed. _'Why do I feel this way? Why do I want his approval? To think that love...or rather affection, at first sight is actually possible? Dear Ra, who would've thought?'_

'_Are you trying to tell me that you don't believe in love at first sight?'_ an impatient voice interrupted her thoughts.

'_Mana, that was rather rude of you. And I don't suppose I do. It seem like you only love someone for their looks. Affection at first sight I do believe in, but not love. Even affection seems superficial.'_

'_Well, I think our dear Pharaoh also seems to be sweet, smart and protective. And I do believe you think the same way. That isn't superficial.'_

'_I didn't ask for your opinion, Mana.'_

'_Fine. But I think you do 'like' Yami, no matter what you say. I would too. He's cute, smart, and he's a Pharaoh. What's not to like?'_

'_Mana.'_

'_What?'_

'_You know perfectly well what. Anyway, even if I did like him...'_

'_Which you do.'_

'_...I wouldn't know what to say. And Mana, stop that!'_

'_Fine, I'll stop it.'_

'_For some unknown reason, I severely doubt that.'_

'_Hey!'_

Angel: How about that? Wasn't that sweet?

Yami Ang: (sighs) Depends on your opinion of sweet.

Angel: So sue me if I can't write romance. (mutters) Or just can't plain write.

Yami Ang: I'm trying to, but sadly I can't afford the legal fees. I'm already half paying for the case over who owns Yugioh.

Angel: You agreed to pay for that. I didn't make you. It's not my fault that you want to date Kaiba or something and that I need to own Yugioh to do that.

Yami Ang: Uh-huh, sure. Everybody, please review!


	3. Just Friends

Angel: Back again! Disclaimer!

Yami Ang: (sighs) Angel does not own Yugioh. She does own Crystal, Isiria, and I think the personalities of Mana and Mahaado. By the way, she lost the court case and is really in need of cash.

Angel: (counting money and grumbling) Stupid, evil, greedy lawyers that lost me the case.

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 3: Just Friends

Crystal smiled as she listened to Mana in her mind, and eventually just shut her off, just as Yami came out of his daydream. "Crystal, are you okay? You seem confused."

"Well, I am a bit. You said that these flowers were not half as beautiful as I am, but I do not understand. These flowers and this entire garden have an unbelievable beauty."

Yami looked rather embarrassed. "Well, it may have something to do with the fact that I see these gardens everyday, but you are a new kind of beauty."

Crystal appeared disappointed at that. "Oh, that makes sense I suppose."

'_Mahaado_?' Yami asked. '_What did I do? She seems disappointed. I hope I didn't offend her or anything_.'

'_Yami, I'm almost positive that she is disappointed because you did not compliment her from what was in your heart. I think it is right for me to say that she fancies you too_.'

'_I never said I fancied her! I just said...'_

'_You do like her. Can't you just accept it?'_

'_Mahaado, it doesn't matter how I feel, it depends on her..'_

'_Just give it time then. See if she seems interested.'_

'_I suppose.'_

'_In the meantime, you should just offer her your friendship.'_

'_Okay.'_

Mahaado sighed as Yami turned his attention to Crystal. The two young royals had no idea, but their guardians had ulterior motives to pair the two together (besides just wanting to see them happy). Mana and Mahaado also loved one another, as they had met before. However, the two Duel Monsters remembered meeting before, unlike the two royals. As long as the royals were spending time together, Mana and Mahaado could too.

"Uhh...Crystal?"

"Yes?"

"When do you leave the palace?"

Crystal sighed sadly, thinking that Yami just wanted to know when she would be gone so that he would be rid of her.

Seeing her expression, Yami hastened to clarify. "I mean, not that I want to get rid of you or anything, but when do you have to go?"

Crystal brightened at this. "I do not know. Probably whenever Father wants to go. Why do you ask?"

"I just wanted to know how much time I have left to enjoy your company."

"Well, that's certainly sweet of you. However, I honestly do not know."

'_Mahaado, please shut up,'_ Yami thought to his friend, as he was finding it rather difficult to think with Mahaado talking in his mind. He was trying to think of a way to get Crystal to stay longer. "Well Crystal, you and your father can stay here however long you would like to stay."

"Are you sure? I hate to impose."

"It would be no trouble, really. And it's only if you want to stay."

"Are you kidding? I course I do! I mean...I would be honoured."

Yami smiled at the princess's eagerness. "You would probably have to check with your father though."

Crystal grinned. "Well, my father spoils me rotten. I'm sure I could convince him."

Yami grinned slyly in response. "It is little wonder he spoils a beautiful woman such as yourself."

Crystal blushed, "Let's go see him now!"

She then dragged Yami out of the gardens, much to Mahaado's amusement. The mage smiled as he realized that his plan was working, and hopefully Mana would help him carry it out. Mahaado knew that she thought the two royals should be together too, but he only hoped she would be willing to help him with his plan. Then it would almost certainly work. He smiled again as he followed the unsuspecting royals.

-----------------------Inside the palace---------------

"Father, can we please stay here? I don't want to be riding all night again at any time during the next few days."

"I don't know Crystal. Would Pharaoh permit it?"

"Father, he already said we could. However, I decided it would be polite to ask you as well."

"I'm sure the riding factor is your only reason for staying here tonight."

"Father, I'm ashamed of you. Besides, when I was a child, we always stayed here for a few days after state visits."

Isaac moved over to whisper his next comment in his daughter's ear. "I wouldn't choose him dear, but if you fancy him..."

Crystal went bright red at her father's comment, even though Yami was unlikely to have heard it. "Father, Yami and I are merely friends," she whispered patiently before raising her voice again. "Could we please stay?"

"As long as you promise that there will be no funny business."

"Father, do not even go there"

"Sorry dear. Pharaoh, could you please prepare rooms for myself and my daughter?"

"Yes, King Isaac. And please, call me Yami."

"If you insist, Pharaoh."

"I do insist, King Isaac."

Isaac smiled and bowed. "As you wish, Yami."

Crystal smiled at the King. "Thank you, Father. I'll just go track down Mana so I can tell her."

Yami smiled again as the Princess took off in the direction of the gardens. "Isaac, you are indeed blessed to have such a kind and beautiful daughter."

Isaac sighed. "In more ways than you know, Yami. After her mother died, I don't know what I would have done without Crystal. She was truly a 'mummy's girl', and missed her mother dearly. Even though she was only twelve, she comforted me. She made sure she was always helping out somehow, and always made sure I knew how much she loved me. She was the one that got me through that difficult time."

Isaac paused, and continued, "She is such a treasure. She is all I have now, but I fear my time is coming. I fear what will happen to her if I should die. If something happens to me, Yami, could you please look after her for me? She means the world to me, and I would be happy knowing that she is safely in your protection."

Yami nodded, "I will always look after her, and I will even look out for her after she marries, which will no doubt be soon."

Isaac grinned, "What makes you say that, Yami?"

Yami didn't pick up on what Isaac was implying, but he still answered, "She is young, beautiful; she has a caring nature and a pure soul. Why would anyone _not_ want to marry her?"

"Would you marry her?"

Yami felt his face betraying by turning interesting shades of red, but he still answered, "Only if she and I truly loved each other, as she deserves only the best. Someone giving their heart completely to her would be what she deserves. I seriously doubt I will marry her, as she is too pure. She deserves so much more."

"Well Yami, if she chose you I would rest easy knowing that my daughter is in your care, at all times."

"I think I shall take that as a compliment, though I'm not entirely sure I should."

Isaac smiled and was about to reply, when a women's scream came from the direction of the gardens. "Was that..." he asked in shock, turning to Yami

Yami finished the sentence for him, his own eyes widened in horror. "Crystal!"

* * *

Angel: Besides the fact that I am still terrible at writing romance, how was that?

Yami Ang: Rotten cliffhanger, but still pretty good! For you especially!

Angel: Thanks! I think...

Mai: Ignore Ang, it was okay! It is your first story after all.

Angel: Thanks:D And there is room for improvement in my upcoming stories

Mai: Think positively, hun.

Angel: (suddenly suspicious) Wait a minute. Why are you being so nice?

Mai: Don't sound so accusing! Yami Ang lent me one of those attitude-improving books.

Angel: I wondered where that book was...

Yami Ang: (sweatdrops)

Angel: ...I was supposed to give it to one of my friends yesterday.

Mai: Well, anyway, review! And please don't be too critical of our young friend!

Angel: (is getting mentally disturbed by Mai's behaviour) Yami Ang, never give her one of those books again! Where is that brainwashing book?

Yami Ang: (disappeared in a dust cloud long ago)

Angel: (hits Mai on head) Review!

Special Note Jou Aerin, for currently being the only consistent reviewer of these first few chapters, I award you $1000 in virtual money for being so nice! Thanks!


	4. The Attack and the Explanations

Angel: In today's news, Mai is in a mental-restoration clinic to become normal again, and Yami Ang has been banned from touching my books again.

Yami Ang: (looks rather annoyed)

Angel: (sighs) Anyway, I don't own Yugioh. I do own my characters and other stuff. If you really want more exact details, see Chapter 3.

Note: Magician of Black Chaos may not be the most powerful magician, but I have not watched the TV series for a very long time (slight problem of it not being on TV, as I do not have Foxtel :()

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 4: The Attack and the Explanations

Yami raced towards the gardens; his mind already inserting all the possible scenarios he would find. He prayed to every god that he could think of on such short notice that Crystal was safe. Isaac ran after him, his thoughts very similar to Yami's own. Both feared what they would find.

As they arrived at the gardens, Yami was surprised to find a very angry-looking Mana and Mahaado. What captured his attention most, however, was what the two were looking at. The mages attention was upon a powerful duel monster, the Magician of Black Chaos. Although he was the most powerful magician in Duel Monsters, neither mage seemed to be backing down. Yami's thoughts returned to Crystal, and he was instantly comforted to hear Mahaado's voice in his mind. _'Do not worry my lord, she is safe.'_

Yami heaved a sigh of relief, which made Isaac look at him strangely. "Please, do you know where my daughter is?"

"I'll ask Mahaado."

'_Mahaado, where is Crystal?'_

Mahaado seemed to listen for a moment. _'Somewhere over there,'_ he said back, glancing away from the Duel Monster to point in the intended direction.

Yami was about to move that way when the Chaos mage attacked Mana. She fell with a cry, and Mahaado roared in anger. A woman's angry cry was also heard and a powerful beam of flame erupted from the direction of the fountain. The Chaos mage didn't move out of the way in time, and got hit. After the flames cleared, it was clear that the Chaos mage had either been disintegrated, or had merely vanished.

Yami was rather startled by the sudden attack, but Isaac looked immensely relieved. "Crystal!" he called happily.

Crystal walked into view from behind the fountain, and as she smiled in reply, she spotted the fallen Mana. "Mana!" she shrieked, before running to her guardian's side. Fortunately, Mahaado was gifted in the art of healing and within a few minutes Mana was fine.

"Mana, are you okay?" Crystal asked worriedly.

"I'm fine now. Thanks for healing me, Mahaado. And Crystal, watch your aiming! I almost got scorched too!"

Crystal looked rather sheepish. "Sorry about that. My aiming is off this week."

"I could tell."

Crystal was about to reply when she suddenly cried out in pain.

Yami's expression changed from puzzled to concern. "Crystal, what's wrong?" he asked as he worriedly placed his arm around her to hold her steady.

She winced in pain as she again tried to move her left arm, but she still replied, "Cursed mage got me in my arm. That was what made me scream before. It's really starting to hurt now. That magician knew too much magic for my liking."

"Will you be okay?"

"I've had worse."

"How could a princess of your rank have worse than a magical burn? I thought your people all respected you and wouldn't try to assassinate you."

Crystal sighed, trying not to grimace. "It's not my people that attack me, but crazy duel monsters like that Chaos mage and then rogue human mages. My people would never hurt me of their own free will."

"But why would anyone attack you?"

Isaac interrupted. "This is a rather long story. Could we please go indoors? It will take a while to tell, and I don't want anyone else to overhear us. Also, Crystal's arm needs to be tended to."

Yami was surprised at the request, but hid his confusion by nodding and leading them all towards a guest room where they could speak frankly and be comfortable.

-------------------------------------------------In the guest room--------------------------------------------

"So why are all these people after you?"

Crystal sighed heavily, her arm now bandaged, "Promise me that whatever I say will not leave your mouth outside this room."

Yami was surprised, but still he answered, "Of course. Now what is going on?"

Isaac spoke up, "Yami, you know of the land of Syria I believe?"

"Of course I do. It's not my favourite place in the world, mostly because of the fact that their obnoxious prince rules there. He and I do not get along, and it was he who stopped Syria trading with us. It caused uproar 3 years ago. How could I forget?"

"Do you remember the name of their prince, now King?"

"Yes. His name is Ishtar. His father was killed last year."

"Exactly," Isaac said, his eyes filling with tears as he spoke. "Forgive me Yami, but this story saddens me when I think of what I almost did to my daughter."

Crystal smiled at the King. "It is alright Father. I know why you did it, and I'm fine with it now," she said as she squeezed his hand with her good one.

Isaac smiled sadly and pulled his only daughter close, kissing her forehead. "I know Crystal, but I will never forgive myself for what I did."

Yami hated to interrupt, but decided to get back to the topic. "What happened?" he asked curiously.

Isaac still looked upset. "I almost forced my daughter to marry that man," he said quietly.

Yami was shocked. "What?" he asked, looking rather horrified.

Isaac winced. "Sorry, but that is hard to believe," Yami said, in way of apology.

"I know. You don't need to apologise, Yami."

"But how and why did this happen?"

Crystal was the one that answered this time, perhaps to spare the King the pain of answering. "Father and the late King were good friends. They arranged for a marriage between their children: Ishtar and myself. This was before Ishtar grew so ruthless, and his father was murdered."

"Murdered? I was told that he died in his sleep of an illness."

Crystal replied bitterly, "Since when does dying in your sleep involve your throat being slashed?"

"But healers examined the body and found no proof of murder. The healers would have said something if they found a cut."

"Sadly they did find the slash, but they didn't recognize it, as the king always had a mark there from his numerous chains. Whoever murdered the king cleaned the wound so it would appear he died of natural causes. To know where that mark was suggests that whoever killed him knew him well, or at least spent a lot of time around him. It also proves that this was a planned murder."

"You suspect Ishtar?"

Crystal hesitated. "Yes, because he and his father argued the day before the murder. Ishtar was furious with his father and stormed from the room, threatening that he would get his way."

"But how do you know this?"

"Because I was there. They were arguing about our wedding. They never knew I was there, as I hid with both magical and mundane means. Their argument was over the fact that even then, I had my doubts about the wedding and pleaded with my father to cancel it. I was afraid of what Ishtar would do to me when we were married."

"What happened?"

"Ishtar was furious when our fathers went into negotiations about it. I suspected he would harm me because of my decision, so I stayed with Father. Ishtar didn't know until after his father's death that they had already cancelled the wedding. He was in a rage when he found out, though. He came to my palace to try to persuade me back into it, but of course I refused."

"So you suspect he killed his father because he thought that if he did, you would have to marry him?"

Crystal sighed sadly. "Suspect? No, I know he did it. When I went to tell him the news that his father was dead, I found his dagger, covered in blood. A quick spell proved that the blood was his father's. To use one of Ishtar's daggers was to die, so I knew he killed his father. None even was allowed to touch his daggers, he even carried the two around with him. When I showed him the dagger, he didn't even seem fazed. Normally he would freak out if he saw blood on his daggers, this fact meant that someone else had used them."

"So Prince Ishtar killed his father?"

Crystal looked frustrated, "It appears that way, but somehow I doubt it was him, because Ishtar loved his father. One of the reasons I had my doubts about the wedding was that when I was around Ishtar, I sensed this alien presence around him. It was evil, and sometimes when he and I talked, I could swear it was someone else's voice."

"At another time, I was flicking over the minds of those in the palace, when I found an unfamiliar evil presence where Ishtar should have been. I believe an evil spirit, something that he can't control, possesses him. I suspect this evil presence killed his father, as Ishtar seems unable to control it. That's why I went to Father about the wedding. Even before the King was murdered, I was frightened."

"Forgive me for changing the subject Crystal, but you keep mentioning magic as a part of this. Are you a magician?"

Crystal looked surprised, and glanced over at her father before answering "Well, yes...in a way"

Yami sighed. "Do not be afraid, Crystal. As an accomplished mage myself, I do not judge you on the fact that you have magic on your side. With or without magic, you are no different from the beautiful princess I met earlier today. Now, what are your skills then?"

Crystal blushed at his words. "I'm a rare case: I have both telepathic skills and magical skills outside the mind. Depending on my relationship with the person, I can 'talk' to people through my mind, though it is difficult. I can read thoughts sometimes, though this is a result of lack of training rather than skill. I can't really control that sometimes. As for skills I can control, I can easily identify when spells are being used, and can often identify the spell. I can move objects with my thoughts if I concentrate hard enough, and I can usually teleport myself short distances. I am also skilled at magical healing and protection charms. However, all my abilities could be stronger if I were only able to train them. There's only so much I can learn by trial and error, or through Mana."

Mana smiled at the last, and then grinned cheerfully. "You forgot being able to scorch people at will, and inflict blades on the mind."

"Mana!"

"What do you mean?"

Crystal winced again, and glared at Mana. "She means I can inflict great damage to the mind, but this depends on the situation. Also, when I get really mad, I can attack with powerful energy blasts."

"She can't aim very well though."

"Mana!"

"What?"

Yami smiled nervously. "Umm, can't aim very well?"

Crystal looked rather embarrassed, "I'm slow to anger. I rarely am angry enough to scorch someone or try to kill them. In other words, I rarely get a chance to practice my aiming."

"That's why you kill them with the sword instead."

"MANA!"

"Well, it's true."

Yami looked interested at this. "You are skilled at weaponry? Not a very princess like trait. Regardless, what weapons can you use?"

"I am very skilled with a blade and longbow."

Yami sighed and leaned back in his chair while glancing at Mana. "Any other talents you'd like to tell me about, Crystal?"

Crystal shook her head. "No. My magical abilities could be a lot stronger and perhaps more varied if I trained more, but as for the moment, that's it."

"Unless you count flirting with almost every attractive guy she meets as a talent," Mana piped up with a grin, though her eyes were watching the Pharaoh for his reaction.

Crystal's cheeks burned, "MANA! Be quiet!" she said before resuming a dignified silence.

Yami was slightly disappointed with this. That meant the Crystal's casual flirting with him in the garden meant nothing, and he didn't like that. He thought it had been genuine.

Isaac was interested in Yami's disappointment, and tried unsuccessfully to hide a smile.

Yami noticed Isaac grinning at him, and flushed, changing the subject. "So Crystal, what about the mages that come to kill you? Do they fear your magical abilities or somewhat?"

Crystal looked up from trying to resist strangling Mana. "Few know of my abilities. Those that do know tend to not like me anyway and then try to assassinate me, so Isiria doesn't have a mind-reading queen."

Yami raised an eyebrow. "Oh, the possibilities. World domination is just one of the many terrible side-affects of Isiria having a mind-reading queen," he said dryly.

Crystal flushed. "There is no need for sarcasm, Yami. I don't know exactly why they attack me; I just assume that that is the reason. After all, it is a logical explanation."

"Logical, yes. Reason for murder? No."

"Well, I am royalty. Does anyone need a reason to murder royalty, besides hatred?"

"Point taken. Though I can't see why anyone would hate you, since you are Isiria's princess. You are loved throughout the nation, and your beauty is renowned. Also, your army is feared in these parts, and no-one in their right mind would attack you for fear of inviting swift retribution."

Crystal flushed again. "Whoever said that whoever is attacking me is in their right mind?" she retorted dryly.

Yami smiled in embarrassment. "Ah, point taken. Sorry."

Crystal smiled. "Don't worry about it. Anyway, I'm sure I'll be safe here. Your army is even more feared than mine, and your personal wrath tends to keep many in fear."

Yami flushed and lowered his gaze. "I'm quick to anger," he admitted.

Crystal laughed. "As some people know too well, I'm sure."

Yami's face just went deeper red, and Crystal just laughed more. Eager to change the topic, Yami then remembered something. "Why did you tell me of Ishtar when I asked what's going on?"

Crystal stopped laughing and frowned as she tried to move her arm. "Sorry for not making it clearer earlier. I believe that Ishtar is behind the attacks on me. He has powerful allies, numbering many magicians. These magicians could summon Duel Monsters or attack me themselves."

"But why would he do this?"

"Didn't you listen before? I said he was furious that I didn't marry him. I assume he believes in the concept, 'If I can't have you, no-one can.'"

Yami sighed. "Well that's terrific. If you can prove in court that it was Ishtar, we're going to have an international war."

Crystal sighed too, a look of fear on her face. "I know. That's why I haven't come forward – I don't want war to become of this. I know Ishtar didn't mean to do all this. I know him – he just wouldn't. But anyway, I don't want war. My people shouldn't have to fight because of me."

Isaac spoke up here, his tone sad. "You are royalty, and your safety comes first. Your life is more valuable then your armies' lives. I know this isn't fair, or even makes sense, but sadly it is necessary. Never forget this. Your people know this, and they believe in it, because what is a country without a ruler to protect and care for them?"

Crystal scowled, looking upset. "You already told me this, Father! And in answer to your question, a country like that would be a happy one. They could make their own decisions, and people would only die for their families. They wouldn't die for someone higher in society then them!" she said angrily, before storming from the room and heading towards the gardens. Mana sighed, and followed her.

Yami blinked at the female magician's retreating form. "Isaac, what just happened?"

Isaac sighed sadly. "Crystal hates the fact that our army would die to protect her. She says people should die for their families and friends, not for royalty. She would go into battle with her people, not hide and let them give their lives protecting her."

Yami looked distressed. "But she could be killed! Anyway, if there is a war, I will gladly keep her here under my protection. She would safer here then at your palace anyway...no offence."

"None taken. You speak the truth. Now, do you think that you could find and talk to my daughter? She will ignore me, as always. And she seems to like you," he said, but Yami seemed to not hear this last part.

"I'll do my best. Mahaado! Let's go!"

As Yami and Mahaado left the room, Isaac also departed in the direction of his quarters. He sighed. _'I hope Yami canhelp her. He seems right for her somehow. I can tell they like each other more than they show. Oh well, if not a romance, it will definitely be friendship. Just like when they were kids, before all this started...'_ he thought sadly to himself.

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Angel: How about that?

Yami Ang: It's good. I'll admit that it's better than the first time through.

Angel: Good. (looks around curiously) Is Mai back yet?

Yami Ang: (sweatdrops) Yes, but she has to be locked in a room by herself with some books that should get her back to normal in a week or longer.

Angel: (also sweatdrops) Okay...And please review! I'm aiming for ten reviews before I update, so PLEASE review! Being put on your author alert list is great, but please review the story too, OK? It would be appreciated.

C YA! Angel


	5. Reliving the Past

Angel: Hello! I'm back again!

Y. Ang: (sighs) Yes, and high on sugar I might add.

Angel: (grins happily) SUGAR!

Y. Ang: (sweatdrops) Ummm...Please wait a few minutes...we are having technical difficulties...

--------------------------------------An hour later----------------------------------------

Angel: Sorry about that. Sugar can make me a bit weird.

Y. Ang: A bit is an understatement.

Angel: (glares) What was that?

Y. Ang: Nothing…………………Angel doesn't own YuGiOh!

Angel: We all already know that, otherwise I would have been screaming it out to everyone within a 250 km radius.

Y. Ang: (looks relieved that that will never happen) Roll fic!

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh or the city names of my game Pharaoh! I do own the game, though! (In a way...)

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 5 – Re-living the Past 

Yami moved quickly through the corridors, Mahaado on his heels as they searched for Crystal and Mana. Although Yami was almost positive that Crystal was in the gardens, Mahaado had insisted that they check the palace. Seconds away from crashing into a group of terrified-looking servants, Yami skidded to a halt. What had he been thinking? Pharaohs had servants for a reason.

"You five."

One of the trembling servants stepped forward, "Yes, my lord?"

"Search the palace for Princess Crystal. If you find her, come and tell me immediately. I will be in the labyrinth."

"Yes, my Lord."

"Good."

Yami then sped off in the direction of the gardens, Mahaado following him with a dry smile on his face.

"You know, I'm not so sure that the servants are looking forward to searching for you in the labyrinth that you designed specifically to keep people away from you."

Yami sighed, but didn't break stride. "I doubt she's even in the palace, Mahaado. She doesn't know her way around there yet."

"Point proven, my O Mighty Lord," he said dryly

"Mahaado, shut up."

----------------------------------------------------At the Labyrinth---------------------------------------------------------

Yami panted slightly as he looked around the garden, his eyes searching for the princess. At first glance, she didn't appear to be there. Just when he was about to give up and leave, Mahaado nudged him. Irritated now, he turned to see Mahaado pointing at a specific part of the fountain. Yami's eyes followed his hand to see a glimmer of gold and blue, mostly hidden behind the statue. Yami sighed in relief, and moved towards Crystal, who was mostly hidden from view on the other side of the fountain.

"Crystal?" he asked softly as he approached.

"What?" she replied with a sniff.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Crystal, just to look at you is enough to see that you are upset. Please tell me what's wrong."

Crystal hesitated and sniffed again, an almost angry look crossing her face. "I've always hated the idea of people taking orders from someone higher in society than them," she said at last.

"So you're upset by what your father said?"

"Yes and no. It's because he said the same thing to Mother, and she always taught me to respect my 'inferiors'. Father always said it was pointless, as you would never get anything out of it. It was the one thing they fought about. That argument was the last thing they ever said to each other, because Mother was murdered a few hours later. I was also attacked, but Mana saved me. Whenever he talks about that sort of thing, it reminds me of Mother, and makes me sad," she said sadly, bringing her knees to her chest, and wrapping her arms around them.

"It hurt me so much to see them arguing. They argued more after your mother, the Queen, was killed. However, I didn't always hear the arguments."

"After my mother died?" Yami replied sceptically. "But why would that have affected your family?"

"I don't know. I had this strange feeling this morning, though. I felt as though I already knew you, as if I had been here and seen you before."

Yami was puzzled. "I know, I felt as if I knew you as well."

The two were silent while they thought about it, when suddenly Yami cried out.

"I remember now! Something was blocking my memory, but now it's gone!"

"What do you mean?"

Yami sat down next to her and raised her chin with his hand, "You _have_ been here before! Don't you remember? When we were kids we were the best of friends!"

Crystal looked surprised, but suddenly understanding crept onto her face. "I do remember! But how did I forget? And why?"

Yami was silent as the memories came flooding back. Few of them were good, and the events that surrounded his 12th birthday resulted in his behaviour and reputation as 'the heart with a cold stone heart.' He sighed sadly in remembrance, as these events began with his mother's death...

--------------------------------------------------About 7 years ago------------------------------------------------

When the Queen of Egypt died, Pharaoh and King Isaac had become worried for the lives of Queen Charlotte and Princess Crystal, as they had been close to the Queen. The families often spent a lot of time around each other, as the two Queens had grown up together even though they weren't related. The two Kings had thought it best that the Queen and the Princess should be sent home, as they believed it was safer in Isiria. Although Crystal wanted to stay with her best friend, Prince Yami, she was taken against her will. So that Crystal would leave and that Yami would let her, for even then he had an immensely stubborn streak, Pharaoh decided to cast a spell to make the two forget their friendship. There were other reasons too, but the Pharaoh was the only one that knew those.

Anyway, the spell caused the two young royals to fall asleep, and when they awoke, they would forget. Crystal was taken home while she slept, and when she awoke at home, she forgot all about the palace and about Yami. Yami had somehow known, when he awoke, that his father had caused him to forget something important, and became cold and reclusive towards basically everybody.

Sadly, all the trouble was for nothing, as Queen Charlotte was murdered after about a year had passed. Shortly after her death, Crystal was also attacked, but she was saved by Mana: the guardian that she had been given as a friend after being taken from Yami. Although Crystal didn't know at the time, Yami met Mahaado at around the same date.

The Pharaoh was distraught at the damage caused by his own foolishness to his son, the Queens and Princess Crystal, so he killed himself in a war. For he was the one who had caused the deaths of the Queens. You see, he knew what was going to happen, and acted against the threat. However, it all went terribly wrong. But the two young royals would be unaware of Pharaoh's discovery until it was almost too late.

------------------------------------------------Present Day---------------------------------------------

Yami sighed sadly at the memories. He had barely known his mother, but it still hurt to remember her lying there, dead. He couldn't even imagine what Crystal had gone through. She had been very close with her mother, and Queens Charlotte's death must have devastated her.

"I'm sorry to bring up those bad memories, Yami," the Princess said quietly.

Yami jumped at the voice, but put his arm around her, "You shouldn't be. It's not your fault, and I should be sorry for reminding you of your mother's death. You and your mother were very close."

Crystal smiled, regardless of her tear-filled eyes, "Mana and Father were the only things that kept me going. I knew I had to be strong for my dad, because his last conversation with Mum was an argument."

"That would have hurt."

"It seemed to destroy him from the inside. Yami?"

Yami sensed she was trying to change the conversation, and was grateful. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for your coronation. I was ill that day, I believe because I hadn't visited the temple of Isis for about a month."

"It's OK that you didn't come. But why would not visiting a temple make you sick?" he asked curiously.

Crystal lifted her chin proudly, despite her tear-filled eyes. "The Royal Family of Isiria is believed to be the descendents of Isis, Goddess of Creation (1). That's one reason why I have so many talents in magic. Therefore, Royal Family members are to worship her often to ask for her protection and blessings, as she is the patron goddess of our city. Perhaps I angered her by not visiting the temple, I don't know. I don't pretend to understand the gods."

"I never knew that about your family before. I apologize for asking a question about your family's personal history."

"That's alright. I'm just glad that the illness only lasted about a week. Who knows what state I could be in now?"

"Well, I'm just glad you're here now." Yami replied, pulling her into a warm hug.

"As am I. And this time, if I leave, I'm coming back." She said as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Yami smiled at the contact, "You'd better. I haven't just found the most beautiful woman in the world to lose you again," he said gently. Crystal flushed at the comment, but said nothing.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yami smiled to himself as he got ready. The nobles that lived nearby were leaving after dinner, and they were expecting a formal reception. Yami wasn't happy about the dinner - he was happy about the fact that Crystal was going to be there. He was sure that she would make the dinner bearable. Fortunately for Yami, he was able to wear something a little more comfortable for this dinner. He didn't have to wear half as much jewellery or make-up; only the gold chest plate was really necessary. After dressing he decided to go see if Crystal was ready, so that they could go down to dinner together.

He moved to Crystal's room and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Yami. Are you ready yet, or do you want me to go to dinner without you?"

Yami was answered with silence as the door opened. Yami couldn't help himself, he gasped. Crystal stood there uncertainly in a beautiful, long-sleeved lavender dress with a gold sash around her waist. The little make-up she wore consisted of pale pink lipstick, and pale-blue eye shadow.

"If you wait a few minutes, I'll be ready. I only have to put on my earrings and necklace."

Yami followed her inside, as she walked over to her dressing table. She sat down and put on the dangling amethyst and diamond earrings before she spoke again.

"Yami, could you please clip my necklace together? Mana normally does it, but she went down to the gardens to visit with Mahaado."

Yami chuckled. "So that's where he went!"

Crystal laughed. "Yes. Now could you please clip my necklace?"

Yami nodded and Crystal swept her hair to one side, giving Yami the ends of the diamond choker. He then gently placed the choker around her slender neck, fastening the delicate clasp.

"Where did you get this necklace? It truly reflects your beauty."

Crystal smiled at the compliment, letting her hair fall back down to her waist. "Mother gave it to me for my 12th birthday, which was a month before she was murdered."

"I'm sorry I reminded you again."

"It's alright. Nearly everything reminds me of Mother anyway."

"Well, shall we go to dinner now?" he asked, extending his arm to her.

She grinned and took his offered arm, "Yes, we shall."

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1: OK, according to my book, Isis is much more than that. She is queen of the gods, Egyptian mother goddess and the great mother goddess of the universe, mother of all, lady of plants, beasts, joy, gladness, and the new year, maker of the sunrise, goddess of love, protection, beauty…………Yeah, you get the picture!

Please review!

C YA! Angel


	6. The Dinner and the Library

Angel: Hello! I'm back! And I think Y. Ang is now in Japan, so some of you guys are safe from her now.

Y. Ang: (appears) I heard that.

Angel: Oops. Anyway, now I can truly understand why some authors take ages to update. Sorry if I ever criticised any of you guys for being slow! I understand now!

Disclaimer: I'm not typing it up again. I own nothing that is related to anime or a movie other than this fanfic, and the little merchandise I possess.

(view changes to a room filled with anime and movie stuff)

Angel: (sweatdrop) Umm……ok maybe I own a more than a little.

Y. Ang: In your dreams.

Angel: How do you think the room appeared to everyone in the first place?

Y. Ang: (sweatdrop) I'm sorry I said anything

Angel: (grins) And now, the fic!

Note: City references and stuff are from my _Pharaoh_ game. Which I also do not own the rights for.

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 6 - The Dinner and the Library

Isaac sighed as he looked at the sundial. Crystal was late, and Yami had also not appeared. He was just starting to get worried when the Master of Ceremonies stood up.

"Princess Crystal!"

Isaac smiled in relief as Crystal walked into the room, looking as beautiful as she always did.

"Pharaoh Yami!"

Yami walked into the room as Crystal sat down. As everyone began to rise, he gestured for them all to stay sitting. He then took his place at the head of the table with Crystal on his right, and Isaac beside her.

As she sat down, Crystal tuned to Isaac. "Father, please forgive my lateness."

"You are forgiven, my dear. After all, you are here now, and clearly did not insult the Pharaoh in your absence."

She smiled, her eyes scanning the faces of the other nobles. One of them, the Prince of Kyrete, smiled flirtatiously at her as their eyes met. She smiled as politely as possible, and turned her attention to the meal being placed in front of her.

'_She's so mine!'_ she heard the Prince say to himself by accidentally using her telepathic abilities.

She smiled. '_Dream on, lover boy,_' she thought to herself.

Yami saw her smile. "What's so funny?" he asked curiously.

"Never mind, just thinking," she replied blushing.

Yami continued to watch her for a few more moments, but then followed her example and began eating his meal as well. As the meal started, Yami could hear parts of the many different conversations taking place.

"No, Selima Oasis is making the most for wood."

"Kyrete didn't pay their tribute last year."

This last statement was followed by a loud cough. "Anyway, Thinis is making a lot of money from exporting barley."

"Saggaro just built another small pyramid, did you know?

"Nara just imported chickpeas and sold them for less then they brought them for."

"Well, the Pharaoh had 50 sacks of gems stolen a week ago."

Crystal, who had been politely listening to the assorted conversations, reacted at this man's comment. "How dare you!" she shrieked.

Everyone stopped talking as Crystal stood up. "**You** stole those gems so that you could finally pay your yearly tribute. My father told me and no one except the Pharaoh and he even knew about it, so if you know, you must have stolen them!"

The man now looked dreadfully frightened. Yami also stood up, his eyes blazing with anger, "You dare to return here after stealing from me!"

The man fell to his knees. "My lord, I am sorry! I only stole the gems so that I could feed my people!"

Yami was about to reply, when Crystal stepped forward, "Do you swear in the name of the gods that you did this to feed your people?"

"Yes, my lady, yes! Please, please have mercy on me!"

Crystal's eyes softened at his pleading, and she turned to Yami, "My lord Pharaoh, may I please be the one to deliver the punishment to this man?"

Yami was surprised at the request, but he nodded. "You were the one who discovered his falsehood," he said as he sat down, watching the princess intently.

Crystal returned her gaze back to the cowering man before her, "You do realize that even though your intentions were good what you did was wrong?"

"Yes, my lady."

"Then I will spare your life."

The man, and Yami, looked at her in surprise, "You did what you could for your people, which is all any ruler should do. Because of this, your punishment is that you must retire as king of your nation, and give the position to your prepared, financially secure eldest son," she said with a soft smile at the older man.

"Thank you, my lady!" the man cried, "You are kind to an old fool."

She continued to smile. "You're welcome."

Yami then spoke. "This meal is over. I bid you all goodnight and farewell."

The nobles and Crystal rose and left silently. Yami then turned towards the ex-king who yet remained behind, still staring in shock after the retreating form of the Princess. "Be grateful that the heavens smile on you by sending you an angel to spare your life."

The man smiled, "I am a very lucky person, my lord. If it's not too bold to say, I think that you are lucky that such an angel cares for you."

"Luckier than you know. And, no, that is not too bold. Farewell."

"Farewell, my lord. Please thank the Princess again for me."

"I will."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yami sighed. He had to talk to Crystal, and she had left without a word. He knocked on the door to her room, and heard sudden silence.

"Crystal? May I come in?"

"The door's open."

Yami sighed again, and opened the door, finding Crystal sitting on her bed, staring at the ground. Yami came and sat next to her.

"Why did you let him go?"

She turned to face Yami, her eyes slightly red, "Because I would have done the same for my people."

"But if he stole the gems, he's probably the man that has been stealing from here for years. He deserved to die."

Crystal smiled sadly, "It's not he that has been stealing from you. It's more likely to be a tomb robber. Besides, letting the king live means that he must live with the knowledge of what he's done, and now he can still watch his children grow. He loves them, and he is a truly kind man. He would only have stolen from you in dire need, which it was. He's a friend of my father's, and his poor financial status has been known to us for some time. Better that he lives shamed with his family than dead for a crime he couldn't help. Besides Yami, so many that die deserve life, but can you give that to them?"

Yami fell silent. "Obviously, you have a lot to learn Yami," the Princess observed gently.

Yami nodded. "I suppose. I'll leave you to sleep now. Goodnight."

"Good night, Yami."

------------------------------------------------The next morning----------------------------------------

Yami yawned. Although it was late in the morning, he had not gotten much sleep. For some reason, he had stayed awake for hours before he finally dozed off. Tired though he was, he decided to go to his library. The cushions there were a lot comfier than his throne or any other seats in the palace.

As he approached the library, he heard laughter coming from inside. Yami was angry about that, as the library was his private one and no-one should be inside without his permission. Besides, when he was tired he was always grumpier, and today was no exception. He sighed, opened the door and moved to where the laughter was coming from. He could have sworn his heart skipped a beat, when he saw who was sitting in the pile of cushions.

Surrounded by the cushions and quite a few books, was Crystal. She looked like she had also only just woken up as she was still in her nightwear and a dressing gown. Her hair was messy, and tied back loosely with a white hair tie. She seemed unaware that Yami was watching her, and Yami wanted it to stay that way. Yami had a feeling that she would not want him to see her like that – no makeup, messy hair and such plain clothes – even though he still thought she looked beautiful. As he moved slowly towards her, he didn't take his eyes off her, and thus didn't notice he was about to trip over a stray book on the ground. At least, he didn't notice until it was too late.

When Crystal heard the loud noise caused by Yami crashing into the bookshelf, she jumped and snapped the book shut. She stood up, pulling from under the cushions the beautiful wooden staff that she sometimes carried around with her when she was alone. She was very good at defending and fighting with her prized staff. She moved towards the bookshelf where the crash of someone hitting it had come from, and found that almost all the books had fallen out of it, and the remaining few were about to fall.

Still slightly nervous, she prodded the pile of books with her staff to see if the person who had crashed was still conscious. When the books moved, she didn't think anything of it. So they were still conscious. However, when the pile began to move as the person underneath stood up, she shrieked and attacked the person.

"Hey, stop hitting me!"

She gasped. "Yami? Is that you?" she asked as the books all fell off him.

He groaned as the last few books then fell on his head. "Yes."

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Yami said, just before he was nearly knocked unconscious by the last book to fall on him, which due to its size, landed rather heavily on his head.

"No you're not fine." Crystal said sternly, helping him to lie down on the cushions. She then used her staff as a focus point to summon her medicinal kit from her rooms. "What were you doing anyway? Were you trying to give me a heart attack?" she asked as she opened the box.

Yami looked quite sheepish. "No, I was actually trying not to disturb you. I succeeded for quite some time until I tripped over that book over there," he said, mock-glaring at the offending book.

Crystal blushed at hearing he'd been watching her, but laughed as he started glaring. She then started shuffling through the glass jars, bandages and the like in her box. "Well, looks like you obviously failed. And the maids taught me a little bit about natural healing," she said, correctly interpreting his puzzled look about the box.

She then pulled out one roll of bandages, a clean white cloth and some glass jars. As Yami was about to ask her what that were for, she asked him for his right hand. Yami was quite surprised to find that it was bleeding. He hadn't even noticed the pain, or the blood.

"These bookshelves are sharp," Crystal said absently, as she wiped the blood off his hand. She then opened the glass jar, smearing it's contents on her fingers.

"Now this might sting, so please try not to move your hand."

Yami nodded. As Crystal applied the cream, he couldn't help but flinch, so she gently squeezed his other hand. She then wrapped the bandage around his wounded hand.

"There! All done." Crystal said, giving Yami his hand back.

Yami smiled at her, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, stay here while I go get changed, and put this on your head."

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Angel: Well, was that any good?

Y. Ang: It was ok.

Angel: Aww, thank you.

Y.Ang: Your attempts to discreetly give away plot points aren't that great though. The points you've already given away are bound to make people suspicious.

Angel: Speaking of suspicious, what happened to Tea? I haven't seen or heard her for some time

Y. Ang: (shifty eyes) nothing...

Angel: (sighs) Please review!

C YA! Angel


	7. Disasters

Angel: Hi everyone!

Crystal: (walks into the room) If Angel owned YuGiOh, Yami and Tea would never go on a date, and in one of the episodes of Battle Ship where Yami and Bakura are fighting, half the characters there would have been thrown overboard by her and her friend, Shannan.

Angel: (nods) We were discussing that for almost the whole episode.

Crystal: (sighs) So obviously, Angel doesn't own YuGiOh. She doesn't own anything that other authors made up. She also doesn't own any money.

Y.Ang: Yeah, she's flat broke.

Angel: Hrmph. And speaking of broke, why is everything in the lounge room broken?

(view changes to Tea locked up in chains in another room of the house, trying to break everything in sight again)

Y.Ang: (shifty eyes) I have no idea...

Angel: (sighs) Anyway, on with the chapter!

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 7 - New Old Friends & Disaster

Crystal finally reappeared in the library about half an hour later, having changed into a beautiful blue dress. It was an off-the-shoulder long sleeved one, with gold embroidery on the top half.

Yami was a bit bored and cross by this time. "What took you so long?"

"As I was getting dressed, one of the maids came with a message from my father, and before she left she insisted of putting make-up on me, and fixing my hair. And that took ages."

"I suppose that's fair. It does take ages when the servants try to 'help'."

As Crystal was about to reply, she was interrupted by a child's voice ringing through the library. "Yami, are you in here?"

"Yes!" Yami called back.

A young, 8-year-old boy suddenly ran in front of the two royals, before throwing himself at the Pharaoh. "Yami!"

Yami smiled as he was 'attacked' by the eager child, "Hello, Yugi."

Yugi looked up at his brother with his puppy-dog eyes, "How come you didn't play with me yesterday? You said you would, even though there was a big party."

"I'm sorry Yugi. I forgot, due to the beautiful yet distracting presence of the Princess here," he said, gesturing at Crystal, who blushed.

"That's not fair. Who are you anyway?" He asked, suddenly noticing Crystal was sitting there.

Crystal pretended to look hurt, "You mean you don't remember me Yugi?

Yugi looked puzzled for a moment and then his already huge eyes widened further, "Crystal?"

She smiled. "Yes, it's me. Three years is too long."

As Yugi then leapt on Crystal, giving her a fierce hug, Yami spoke up, "But how could you have seen Yugi three years ago? I didn't see you then," he said, pretending to pout.

Crystal smiled at his expression before hugging Yugi closer to her and sighing. "You wouldn't have. When Yugi was on a little tour/holiday then, his guardians stopped at our palace for a few days. Yugi and I became good friends then, didn't we honey?" she asked, looking down at Yugi.

He nodded, but Yami frowned, "No fair. Even though something made me forget about you, I still would have liked to have seen you too."

Crystal smiled again, but then frowned, "I've been wondering about how we forget about each other. For some reason, I didn't remember that I knew you until we were talking about it in the gardens. I wonder what was blocking our memories. Or who caused it?"

Yami frowned as well. "To be honest, I have no idea. However, we'll probably find out in due time."

"I agree."

Yami searched his head for a change of subject, "Didn't you say something about a message from your father?"

"Oh! I forgot. He's going to come here, to talk to me about something, apparently it was urgent."

Yami was about to speak when a booming voice was heard, "Crystal?"

"I'm in here, Father," she called back.

King Isaac then strode into view, "I've brought a guest with me."

"Who?" Crystal asked suspiciously.

A young woman with long blonde stepped away from behind the bookcase, "Only me, my lady."

"Mai!" Crystal shrieked, moving Yugi out of her lap, jumping up, and throwing her arms around the slightly older woman.

Mai's pulled away, holding Crystal at arm's length, her violet eyes shining happily, "It is good to see you again, Crystal. My vacation was too long."

"Far too long, my friend. You're never going away for so long again!"

"I don't plan to, my lady. But sadly, there is another reason for my being here, other than to visit you. I'm here to tell you that, about a week ago, the palace was attacked again."

"No," Crystal said quietly, sinking back down onto the cushions. Yugi, sensing her distress, climbed back into her lap.

"Half the palace, including your room, was destroyed. I've spoken with your father, and he thinks it would be safer for you to stay here, rather than return home. If the Pharaoh allows it, we would like you to stay until repairs are finished."

Yami was quick to respond, "She's welcome for as long as she needs to be here."

Crystal sighed, absently putting her arms around Yugi. She hesitated a few moments before speaking. "Yami?"

He jumped at her voice, the wet cloth on his head falling from his forehead, "Yes?"

"Although I appreciate your generosity, I would rather go home."

Yami looked a little bit hurt by this, but Yugi, whose face was hidden from view, looked devastated. In contrast, Isaac and Mai looked shocked.

"Crystal, you must stay here! It is safer, and if you go home, these people could try to kill you again and they could succeed!"

"I know, Father. It's not that I don't want to stay here, it's just that if I go home, maybe I'll find out exactly who is behind this."

"Absolutely not! I will not risk your safety! I don't know what I would do without you. Besides we already know who's behind it."

"Not exactly Father. Anyway, I won't risk Yami and Yugi's lives. If I stay here, and because they are helping me, they could be killed too."

Yami was puzzled at this. "Who, may I ask, was also killed then?"

Crystal's eyes filled with tears, and she placed her hands over Yugi's ears, "Our mothers. Both our mothers died to stop them from killing me."

Yami looked shocked, and Crystal could also see the pain in his eyes. "But why would someone want to kill you?"

Yugi struggled to pull Crystal's hands away from his ears, but failed as she answered Yami's question. "Because I am the only one who can stop them."

"Who's 'them'?"

"A group of people that follow someone that claims to have the power of the gods. We don't know any exact names. Since I didn't want to join them, and I am very powerful myself, they have obviously decided to kill me, so that I can't stop them."

"How do they know that you are the only one that can stop them?" Yami asked, as Yugi finally succeeded in pulling Crystal's hands away from his ears.

Crystal shook her head, "I don't know. I've known I was very powerful from a young age, probably because of my heritage, but my parents found out just how powerful I was. The only people they told were your parents, Yami. Obviously, someone told this evil clan, but I don't know who."

"Do you have any ideas?"

"None, because obviously our parents would not have told anyone."

Yami sighed. "Knowing my luck, we'll find out sooner than we want to know."

Crystal smiled sadly. "It always works like that, doesn't it?"

"Yes. And changing the subject to what we were talking about before, I insist that you stay here. You will be a lot safer here than at a half destroyed palace. There the danger of another attack is too great."

Isaac spoke up. "That sounds fair, Crystal. Now, Mai and I must return to Isiria to oversee the repairs and such. So, goodbye, my dear."

Crystal gently pushed Yugi out of her lap before standing up again, and kissed her father's cheek. "Goodbye, and please be careful."

Mai smiled, and hugged her, "We will, honey. You be careful too."

"I will."

With a final goodbye to everyone, Isaac and Mai then left.

Crystal sighed. "I suppose that I will probably have to stay here for a few months then. Probably until my birthday at least. Yami?"

Yami was unsteadily trying to get to his feet, "Yes?"

She hurried to help him stand, "Do you only wish for me to stay because of the danger, or because you really want me to?"

Yami turned his head to look at her, "For both of those reasons, Crystal. As I said before, I haven't just found you to lose you again."

She smiled. "Thankyou. Now, let's get you to your room and get your bruises and the like looked at. Yugi, will you run and get one of the physicians please?"

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Angel: I'm sorry that it is so short! Anyway, now Crystal is living at the palace, Yugi is in the story, and only I know what will happen next!

Y.Ang: Ahem.

Angel: Oh. Sorry, she knows too. Anyway, please review!

C YA! Angel

Angel: Wait! One last thing, we found Tea, and are deciding what to do to her as I am writing this. Suggestions are welcome! And if you want her free, well, just write that! Majority rules! C YA!


	8. Fun and Games

Angel: Hi everyone, I'm back again!

Y.Ang: I doubt any of them are reading these author's notes.

Angel: So? I'm used to people ignoring what I say. My friends and boyfriend do it all the time, especially when I am rambling...

Y.Ang: Like now?

Angel: (glares) I suddenly have the urge to strangle you.

Y.Ang: (is suddenly silent)

Angel: That's better. Now whose turn is it? Let's see……Yugi!

Yugi: Angel does not own YuGiOh. She does not own FanFiction. She does not own Pharaoh. She does not own Harry Potter. She does not own Egypt. She does not own money. She does not………

Angel: (coughs) We get the picture, Yugi.

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 8 – Fun, Games, and the Wrong Kinds of Romance

Crystal laughed to herself. She had been living at the palace for almost three weeks, and was now in a meeting. She was laughing at Yami's obvious frustration and boredom with the meeting, and Isis's anger. He was annoyed because Isis was trying to convince him to choose a wife, and Yami could not have cared less. Isis was cross because of Yami's obvious lack of interest.

"You should care more about who you are to marry, Yami! You've barely spoken to _any_ of the princesses that come here, so how could you choose one for your bride? The only female royal that you even look at, let alone speak to, is Princess Crystal. I have half a mind to speak with her father and arrange a marriage between you two!"

Yami went slightly pale at this, being careful not to look at the Isirian beauty. "What?"

"Well, she's the only girl we don't have to force you to talk to! And according to her father, the same goes for her! You're the only possible suitor _she_ talks to of her own free will!"

Yami was stopped from retaliating as Yugi ran into the room, and stood beside the throne. "Yami, will you come and play now?" he asked with a cheerful grin.

Yami sighed. "Not now, Yugi. I'm in a very important meeting," he said with a scowl at Isis.

Yugi looked crestfallen at this, and looked hopefully at Crystal. She turned and addressed Yami. "My lord, if you no longer require my presence, I would happily keep Prince Yugi company."

Yami turned his head to Yugi, who happily nodded. He also looked at Isis, and she nodded too. "You're free to go."

Looking cross and slightly frustrated at being interrupted, Isis spoke up again, "Yami, I'm serious. I am considering arranging a marriage between the two of you if you don't start to shape up."

Crystal had already reached the throne before Isis spoke up. Yami could have sworn he saw her blush as Isis said this, but he could not be sure, as she turned her head away almost instantly. After she took Yugi's hand, and left, Yami continued his argument with Isis, his thoughts again retuning to Crystal.

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"Yugi? Where are you?" Crystal called in a sing-song voice. Giggling coming from behind the fountain answered her. She grinned at this.

"Oh no, I think I've lost Yugi. I wonder what Yami will say when he finds out?"

More giggling answered her.

As she moved around, pretending to look for him, she continued to call out, "Is he behind this boulder? No. Is he hiding in the bushes? No. Is he up the tree? No. I hope he didn't run away."

She then moved towards the fountain, "I better sit down on the fountain while I think about this."

As she sat down, she turned around, "Found you!"

Yugi ran away from her as she said this, so she chased after him. Eventually she caught him, put her arms around him, and carried him back to the fountain, where she sat down. He hugged her back, grinning, "How did you find me?"

"It was just a guess, Yugi. I think you're getting better at finding hiding places though. It's getting harder to find you. Imagine what Yami would say if I told him that I lost his little brother?"

A new, sharp voice answered her, "What's this about losing Yugi?"

Crystal smiled as she turned her head around, carefully shielding Yugi from view with both magic and her body. "Oh...nothing Yami."

He looked angry. "Crystal I thought I could trust you! How could you have lost him?" he demanded as he walked towards her.

When he was about a metre away, Crystal turned around fully, revealing Yugi, who jumped out of her lap, beaming. "Hello, Yami! Crystal and I were playing hide-and-seek!"

Yami looked relieved to see his little brother. Crystal stood up smiling. "You mean to say that after all this time, Yami, you still don't trust me? That you actually think that I would lose your little brother? My, my, you have a lot to learn," she said as she kissed his cheek.

Yami immediately blushed, and quickly turned to face Yugi. "Are you having fun then, Yugi?"

Yugi beamed. "Yes! Crystal is very good at games! She finds me very quickly!"

Crystal leaned over and whispered in Yami's ear. "His giggling gives him away."

Yami felt his face flush again at her being so close. He nodded, "He does tend to laugh a lot."

Crystal smiled, then frowned, "Yugi, where are you going?" she asked as she turned around.

Yugi, looking guilty, quickly answered, "Nowhere."

Crystal playfully narrowed her eyes, "You're lying. You know the penalty for lying," she said, before leaping at Yugi and tickling him.

He started shrieking with laughter at this. "Stop it!" he shouted, especially as the two teenagers started laughing at Yugi's distress.

After about 20 seconds, Crystal stopped tickling poor Yugi, "Are you going to lie again?"

"No," Yugi replied sulkily.

Crystal smiled, "Good. Now where were you going and why?"

Yugi pouted, "I wanted to leave before Yami made me go to the study rooms, and before you two started kissing."

Both royals went bright red at this, carefully avoiding each other's gaze. Crystal was curious as to what had made Yugi think that would happen.

"What makes you say that Yugi?" she asked.

"'Cause Isis said that you were going to marry Yami, and married people kiss."

Crystal was disappointed at his answer. She had hoped that Yami had been talking to Yugi about his feelings for her. That would have made things so much easier, because then she could tell him how she felt without embarrassing herself.

Yami laughed, mostly to hide his embarrassment, "Oh, Yugi! We're not getting married! Isis just said that she might make us get married, because neither of us has a wife, or in Crystal's case, a husband."

"Ok. Where's Mokuba?"

Yami chuckled, "In the study rooms, where you are supposed to be. I was about to remind you to go to your lessons."

Yugi pouted again, "Fine, I'll go. Bye-bye!"

"Goodbye, Yugi!" the two royals chorused.

After Yugi had left, Crystal sat down on the edge of the fountain again. She then turned to face Yami, her face alight with barely concealed curiosity.

"What did you and Isis choose to do then?"

Yami sighed, and sat down next to her, "You mean, who did Isis choose. She has decided to marry me to Princess Anzu, of Selima Oasis. Apparently to 'strengthen the ties of distant cities'. I wish I didn't have to marry her though. I think she is a spoiled brat."

"I agree with you there, Yami. Her father gives her everything she wants, and he is convinced that every man desires her, and that every woman wants to be her. He's even managed to convince her that this is true. It's quite sad really."

"Well, Isis and I agreed that if I can find a scandal in her past, I won't have to marry her. I think she only agreed to that because she has done enough research on Anzu to know that there is no scandal."

Crystal grinned, "Well, she didn't do much research. I can think of a scandal involving her without even trying."

Yami looked pleased, "Well, what is it?"

"She has slept with a man out of wedlock. My information source is none other than the man himself, Prince Ishtar."

Yami looked surprised. "But I thought you didn't like Prince Ishtar."

"I didn't after he started acting so ruthless. Before that, we were dear friends. That's why, at first, I didn't object to the wedding plans."

Yami did not look pleased that she had called Ishtar a 'dear friend' but he was quick to hide his displeasure. "Well, anyway, I'll tell the advisors tomorrow."

"Good. Would you like to take our minds off this by me beating you at chess?

"You mean I'll beat you."

"That's highly unlikely, Yami."

"We'll see. There is a chess set in my library. Let's go!"

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About an hour and a half later, the game was drawing to a close.

"Checkmate"

"What? It is not possible."

"But it is. I told you that you would be beaten."

"Hrmph."

"Oh, don't be such a sore loser, Yami. I beat you fair and square."

"Hrmph."

"Oh, Yami," she laughed as she kissed his cheek.

He looked at her, surprised, a blush creeping onto his face. She grinned at him, and then cocked her head to one side. "Someone's coming."

Yami looked at her curiously, his blush fading away. "Who?"

"It's..."

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Angel: Cliffhanger! A horrible pointless one, but still a cliffie!

Y.Ang: Get over it.

Angel: Hrmph. I'm sorry for the cliffhanger, but if you kill me, you'll never know who it is!

Y.Ang: (eyes gleam evilly) But I already know.

Angel: (hasn't seen evil gleam) So?

Y.Ang: (grins evilly) Hehe

Angel: (finally catches on to evil gleam) Oh...umm, yeah. You're not allowed to kill me either. You'd die too.

Y.Ang: Damm. I forgot.

Angel: YAY! By the way guys, suggestions for Tea are needed. So far, we only have one vote, and I'd like more ideas! Remember, you can argue for her freedom if you really want to...

C YA! Angel


	9. Wedding Plans

Angel: Well, back again! Thanks go out to all my reviewers!

Y. Ang: (has deep fryer) Can I cook her now?

Angel: Huh Oh, yeah. Sure.

Y. Ang: (puts Tea in deep-fat fryer) Now, who ordered Tea extra crispy?

Angel: (checks very-short list) Kendoro-majin514. He was the only one who gave an order.

Y. Ang: (shrugs) Kendoro-majin514! Come get your extra-crispy Tea!

Angel: (--) I knew I shouldn't have taken her to that restaurant...she stole their deep-fryer...

Y. Ang: (coughs) Umm...you'll just have to wait until I get another one. I kinda made this one extra-extra crispy (AKA burnt)

Angel: (sighs) I do not own YuGiOh.

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 9 – Wedding Plans and Consolation

"It's one of my father's advisors, and the High Priest Seto."

"I wonder what they want."

There was a knock at the door, "Lady Crystal, are you in here?"

"Yes, Rames. The door's open."

A tall young man swept into the room, followed by Seto Kaiba. The young man Yami didn't know, but who he presumed was this 'Rames', stepped forward. He bent on one knee, took Crystal's hand and kissed it.

"It is a great privilege to see your beautiful face again, my lady. Even though it will be for only be a short while, I still feel blessed."

Crystal seemed a little bewildered, but still answered, "It is...good to see you also, Rames."

She then turned to Kaiba and smiled. "It is wonderful to see you too, Seto."

Kaiba smiled, and bowed to both rulers. "My lady, my lord Pharaoh."

Yami inclined his head at Seto's politeness, though it was more to hide the frown on his face. The frown was because he didn't like this Rames's behaviour towards Crystal one bit.

"I do not mean to interrupt your...reunion, but may I ask what has brought the two of you here?"

Rames straightened up, "Well, Priest Seto has a message from King Isaac, and I thought it best if I came along."

"Indeed. Well, Kaiba?"

Kaiba stepped forward hesitantly, and turned to face Crystal, "My lady, your father has...signed a document stating that as soon as the palace is repaired, you and Rames are to wed."

Crystal looked, well, to be perfectly frank, shocked. "When did this happen?"

Rames looked at her, smiling. "Isn't it wonderful? It is the reason my visit is short, as I must return to oversee the rebuilding of the palace so we can be married as soon as possible!"

Crystal smiled faintly. "Lovely."

"Well, I must be off. I only came to be here when you heard the news. So, farewell to you all," Rames said before quickly leaving the room.

Before Yami could ask Crystal about all this, Kaiba spoke up, "My lord, if I may I would like to stay here in the palace with the Princess. She is a dear friend of mine, and I haven't seen her for a very long time."

Yami turned to Crystal to seek her thoughts on this, and she nodded, "Very well, Kaiba. You may stay here until the...wedding."

"Thank you, my lord. Perhaps I will see you later, then."

As Kaiba showed no signs of moving, Yami presumed that he was no longer wanted, and he left. Yami didn't like this wedding one bit, and he needed to get away from Crystal. She seemed quite happy with the arrangement.

"Very well. If either of you require my presence, I'll be in my quarters or my office."

Both the High Priest and Crystal nodded, "Ok."

Without another word, Yami left.

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After Yami left, Kaiba watched the door for a few moments before turning to Crystal.

"You can lie to the Pharaoh all you like, but I've known you since we were children, and you can't lie to me."

Those few words made Crystal collapse on the cushions behind her, and start crying, "Seto, why? Why would Father do this to me?"

Seto sat down next to her, and gently pulled her close to him. He held her for a long time.

After Crystal's tears had finally stopped, Kaiba said gently, "I am sorry."

She nodded, "I know. But why?"

Kaiba sighed heavily, "Perhaps he didn't know what he was doing."

Crystal looked up at Kaiba. "What do you mean?"

Kaiba looked pained. "Remember how I was trying to force you to marry me?"

"Yes. I sensed that you were somehow not yourself. Like Ishtar was, but not so evil..."

"Well, I'm glad you believe me."

"Of course I do Seto. I can see that you are now yourself, and I'm glad for it. You are one of my dearest friends. Anyway, do you know who it was that was controlling you?"

Kaiba shook his head, "I don't know. I only know this happened because this person released me from their control. I can only remember little about what I did. As for how I know, I could remember hearing this voice inside my head. It would tell me to do something, and I'd feel like I had to do it."

"Is that why you came here?"

"Partly. I wanted to make sure that we were still friends, and I thought it would be best if I told you the news."

Crystal smiled sadly. "You're right there."

"I did not mean to drop this mind-controlling thing on you."

"It's ok. It's not really affecting me, though. No offence."

"None taken. However, it should affect you, because I have reason to believe that the person that was controlling me is the one that has also controlled at various times, Prince Ishtar, Mai, your father and myself."

Crystal shrugged, "Well, as long as these people haven't caused any permanent damage, I don't think they are anything to worry about."

Kaiba looked pained at her words, and she noticed it. "What?"

He hesitated. "They have caused some permanent damage."

Crystal looked suddenly afraid. "What have they done? Seto, please tell me."

He turned his head again to look directly at her. "They killed the former Queen, and...your mother."

Crystal looked stricken at the news, and lowered her head, another tear trickling down her cheek. "Oh gods. I can't believe this. Who are they?"

"I do not know, my lady. I do know, however, that they are trying...to kill you."

As Crystal looked more upset, Kaiba became more concerned, "Perhaps you should do something to take you mind off this for a while."

"Alright. Do you have any suggestions?"

Kaiba smiled slightly, "I guarantee that helping Prince Yugi and my brother with their studies will distract anyone."

Crystal had a small vision of someone trying to teach the two boys, who were known as the troublemakers of the palace, and laughed, her previous sadness forgotten for the moment.

"Although I might be risking my sanity, I'll try it. I seem to get along well with those terrors."

"Terror is not the word used by their unfortunate teacher."

She laughed again, "When I get there I will probably agree. Where are the boys' study rooms?

"Across the hall from their bedchambers."

"That is definitely not a coincidence, and very smart of their teacher. No doubt they try to escape from lessons. I know I did."

Kaiba smiled at the memory of a 5-year-old Crystal running away from her teachers.

"What will you do while I'm with the boys then, Seto?"

"If you could write a note to Yami, perhaps he might tolerate a discussion about the festivals for this month."

"Why must I write a note?"

"Because otherwise he will ignore me. He dislikes me, and not just because of the way I used to treat you."

"Alright."

Crystal quickly wrote the note to Yami, and gave it to Kaiba, before hurriedly leaving the room.

Kaiba sighed to himself before he left the room. _'She has suffered too much already. The Pharaoh needs to know the truth,'_ he thought to himself.

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As Crystal made her way to the study rooms, Mana suddenly appeared beside her and started talking, as usual.

"Why so glum Crystal?" Mana asked, looking concerned.

"I guess it's just knowing that the people who killed my mother are still out there, ruining things again. Also, I'm afraid that Seto will tell Yami about the danger, and Yami will worry about me, and I don't want him to worry."

Mana smiled sadly, "He already worries about you. Mahaado told me that ever since he heard about Ishtar, and the previous attempts on your life, he's been restraining himself with extreme difficulty from never letting you leave your room, or leaving his sight. He cares about you a lot, you know."

"I know, Mana. In that case, he probably would lock me in my room, if he found out. Besides he's got his people to worry about. He is Pharaoh."

"So? He cares about you, and you probably care about him more than most of 'his people' do anyway. That gives him a right to worry about you."

Crystal sighed, "Fine. If I wasn't already going to see the boys, I'd play chess with you. This talk of worrying is getting depressing."

"I wouldn't have played you anyway. You always win."

"Why do you think I enjoy the game so much?"

"Hrmph."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yami had lied to Crystal and Kaiba. He had told them that he would be in his room, or his office, but he had come here, to the throne room. He didn't want to talk to either of them, especially Crystal. Because she had seemed so happy about the wedding plans, he knew that he would lash out at her if she spoke to him, and he didn't want to hurt her feelings, even though he was hurt himself.

In other words, he was not in a good mood, and the fact that Seto Kaiba was slowly walking towards him made Yami feel little better.

"My Lord?"

Yami replied crossly, "I do not wish to speak with you, Seto Kaiba. Please leave me."

Kaiba stepped forward so that he was standing in front of Yami, "I'm afraid you are going to listen to me if you care about Lady Crystal at all."

Yami snapped to attention, "What do you know about her?" he snapped, before remembering decorum. "And why should I listen to you after the way you treated her?"

Kaiba hung his head, "Because, as I was about to explain to you, that was not my doing. And if you do not believe me, Crystal wrote you a note."

Yami narrowed his eyes, but accepted the note in Kaiba's outstretched hand. This is what it said:

_Yami,_

_Please listen to Seto. I know you dislike him because of the way he used to treat me, but now he's back to normal. I don't want two of the people I care about most to feud over me. Please listen to what he has to say._

_Sincerely, Crystal._

Yami felt his face flush as he read the letter, but quickly hid it, "Fine, Kaiba. What do you know?"

Kaiba hesitated, "Well I haven't been forbidden to tell you, but I want you to promise that you will not tell anyone else, except Mahaado or Mana. But both of them must be sworn to secrecy, and they definitely cannot tell Crystal."

Yami was surprised by the request, but nodded. "I promise."

"Very well. To put it bluntly, I know who is making Crystal's life hell. You may or may not know who this person is."

"We'll see. Who is it?" Yami asked sharply.

"It is..."

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Angel: HAHAHA! Another cliffie! I love it!

Y.Ang: Judging by the looks I'm getting, I'd say the readers don't love it. I'd also say that if looks could kill, you have been murdered about 5 times.

Angel: (sweatdrops) That's not good

Y.Ang: No it isn't.

Angel: Well, if I try to update soon, will I be spared?

Y.Ang: Probably not, but it might help.

Angel: In that case, I will try hard to update soon!

C YA! Angel


	10. Revelations

Angel: HELLO!

Y.Ang: She just ate a box of chocolate. We're all doomed.

Angel: YAY!

Y.Ang: (shakes head)

Angel: Thanks so much for all of the reviews! You guys rule!

Y.Ang: You people are really encouraging her. That's not a good thing. You should have realised this by now!

Angel: (humming to Paulina Rubio's _Don't Say Goodbye_ and didn't hear) I will love you 'till the end...of time!

Y.Ang: OMG! She's singing! RUN!

Everyone in story: (runs)

Angel: (notices the lack of people and stops singing) Huh? Meh. Guess I better do the disclaimer, since Yugi is currently being schooled about it.

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh. I also do not own the 'Clan of Anubis'. That belongs to Sakura onto Hitomi. I think that's how you spell her name. I do own Rames, Crystal, Isaac and Isiria. All other cities names are probably copyrighted by _Pharaoh_.

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 10 – Revelations

"It's Rames, but Crystal doesn't know," Seto said sadly.

"Rames? But why?" Yami asked curiously.

"Because he is the leader of the 'Clan of Anubis'."

"How do you know?"

"Because as I told Crystal, I know that many people, including myself, have been controlled by someone. What I didn't tell her was that I actually knew who was controlling me. This was because Rames foolishly let me remember the voice that I would obey. The voice I heard ordering me around in my head was definitely his."

"Why didn't you tell Crystal? Why did you choose to tell me?"

Kaiba sighed, "I thought that she's worried enough about her engagement without finding out that her fiancée is trying to destroy her. And as to the reason I chose to tell you, no matter what you say, I know you care a lot about her, even more than I do."

Yami looked as though he was about to protest, but fell silent at Kaiba's last remark.

"And to answer what will probably be your next question; there is basically nothing that we can do to stop Rames without him knowing. If he knows that we know he's behind this, he'll only hurt Crystal. And I know that neither of us, especially you, wants to see her hurt."

Yami's expression showed that he was thinking hard, "But according to a conversation I had with her father awhile ago, isn't Crystal the only one that can stop Rames if he is indeed the leader of this Clan?"

"Yes, but she must find out who he is on her own."

"I don't like it at all, but you are right. And now, I have some more questions for you."

"I'll try to answer them, my lord."

"Alright. Why did Prince Ishtar kill his father and act so horribly, if he is not also in on this? Crystal said herself a few weeks ago that she thought that he was behind everything; that Prince Ishtar was the one behind the attacks on her life."

Kaiba sighed, "Well, if you've noticed, Ishtar and I have always been good friends of Crystal, but both of us have tried to convince her to marry us. Because Ishtar's ways of doing this, and his reaction, were more violent, I suspect that he is being used as a decoy by Rames, so that Crystal will suspect Ishtar. I also have little doubt that the 'dark presence' within Ishtar, was Rames's influence on his mind."

"I suppose. But why has Rames made you and Ishtar both try to marry her? How would that help Rames?"

"Because when Crystal was too young to marry, the only way that Rames could have neutralised her powers was to kill her. Now, if he married her, or one of his mind-slaves married her, he would be able to control her powers and use them himself. And Rames makes no secret of the fact that he also desires her."

Yami couldn't help but frown at those words.

"Sorry, my lord. I didn't mean to insult anyone."

"It's fine Kaiba. It's not you that needs to apologise."

"I know. It's just my nature, especially after spending time with Crystal."

Yami smiled, "She does bring out a person's better side."

"Yes. That's one reason that I love her,"

Yami stiffened at this, but then relaxed as Kaiba continued:

"as a sister, and why my younger brother loves her too. It is also probably the reason why Prince Yugi has grown so attached to her."

Yami nodded, "Yes, my brother has grown quite close to Crystal. I believe it's because she has become like a 'second mother' to him, especially as Yugi was very young when our mother died."

Both remained in silence for a few minutes, as they remembered all the joy that Crystal has brought to their lives.

Suddenly, Yami pounded his fist on the armchair of his throne and stood up, "Damm it! No matter what you say, Kaiba, I am not going to let Rames hurt her! She has done nothing to deserve this!"

Kaiba sighed. He'd expected Yami to react this way a lot earlier. "Pharaoh, I know this. But she also doesn't deserve to die, especially because of the rash actions of someone that loves her!" he said, his voice rising with every word.

Seeing Yami's reaction, and seeing that Yami was about to reply, Kaiba cut him off, "And don't you dare say that you do not love her! I've seen the way you look at her, the look in your eyes as you watch her. You can't deny it!"

Yami's anger began to vanish, and he seemed to collapse from within. "Is there nothing that we can do for her?" he half-pleaded.

Kaiba continued to watch Yami, "I'm afraid so. Mana watches her most of the time, but she still gets attacked. I suppose that all we can do is our best to defend her. I'd say that merely being around your magic will keep her alive – few who would want to attack her would dare risk the combined magical might of the two of you."

A spark of hope shone in Yami's eyes. "Then whilst she remains here, she will be safe."

"Well, it's only a guess, my lord."

"Let's just hope your right. Besides, it wouldn't hurt to have someone there at all times, and I could also increase the guard outside her room."

"That's a good idea. Now, before you go and find Crystal, I have to talk to you about which gods the festivals this month will be dedicated to."

Yami, who had been about to run off, looked unenthusiastic, "Now?"

"Well, as I told Crystal that that is what we were going to talk about, I can't really go back on my word."

Yami thought for a moment, then smiled. "Did you say how long we were going to talk about it?"

Kaiba looked confused. "No..."

"Good. Then the festivals gods will be the same as this month last year. That's enough talk. I'm going!"

As Yami began to run out of the room, Kaiba cleared his throat. "Ahem."

Yami turned around, looking quite impatient. "What now?"

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Do you know where Crystal is?"

Yami now looked sheepish, "No. Do you?"

Kaiba nodded. "She should be in the study rooms with our younger brothers."

"Should?"

"Well, they might have moved into the gardens, as they often do on sunny days. But Crystal was going to the study rooms when I left her."

"Why was she going there?"

"I suggested that helping the boys study would help take her mind off the wedding."

Yami froze at the mention of the wedding, then forced a smile. "Yes, that would provide a distraction."

Sensing Yami's attitude, Kaiba quickly spoke up. "If you would permit me to leave, I must go and meet with the other priests to tell them of the festivals."

Yami nodded, though his mind was elsewhere, "You're free to go. I will go and find Lady Crystal."

"Thank you, my lord," Kaiba said as he bowed and left.

After a few minutes of brooding, Yami also left the room, but he left in the direction of the gardens. He was almost certain that she would be there, with the boys.

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Angel: Well, I edited this chapter, and cut out the confusing part about Isis's powers and stuff. It didn't really make sense, and I realised it was contradicting quite a few plot points, and creating several plot holes. Sorry this chapter was so short. Anyway, as always, please review!

C YA! Angel


	11. It's Hard to Tell the Truth

Angel: Hello! Again, thanks for all your reviews! You guys are the best! Now, instead of listening to me ranting on and on, let's go to the story!

Y.Ang: To put it bluntly, Angel doesn't own YuGiOh.

Angel: (looks like she's going to cry) You don't have to say it like that! It sounds so mean!

**Lonely Heart in Egypt**

Chapter 11 – It's Hard to Tell the Truth

Crystal laughed softly as Mokuba and Yugi argued. Both were arguing about what they thought was the answer to the problem, but in fact, both of them were wrong. Yugi turned to Crystal, who rapidly regained her composure, and Yugi started whining. "Crystal, tell Mokuba that he's wrong."

To which Mokuba angrily replied: "No, tell Yugi that he's wrong, and I'm right."

Crystal laughed gently, embracing both the eight-year-olds. "You're both wrong! Since it's such a nice day, let's go down to the gardens, and I'll explain the real answer on the way. OK?"

Both boys nodded as she led them away, already beginning to explain the answer.

-------------------------------------------15 minutes later-----------------------------------

Crystal was still trying to explain the answer to the riddle, but the answer seemed to be eluding both boys.

That is, until Yugi cried out. "I've got it!"

Mokuba pouted, and a new voice spoke up. "Got what Yugi?"

Yugi ran to the newcomer's side, beaming. "Yami!"

Yami chuckled, and embraced his little brother. As Yugi pulled away, he turned to Mokuba. "Yami's here! We're allowed to play now!"

Crystal called after them as they ran off. "Don't annoy the advisors this time!"

Yami chuckled again at this, and Crystal smiled sheepishly. "Well, last time I was blamed for that."

Yami just grinned, "Have those boys been tormenting you again, Crystal?"

"I wouldn't call it tormenting, Yami. They aren't that much of a handful. Besides, I have nothing to do with their behaviour."

Yami was in a teasing mood, and responded with a flourished bow. "Whatever you say, my dear."

She raised her eyebrows playfully. "Are you mocking me?"

Yami looked at her, grinning. "Why, of course not! I would never risk your wrath!"

She glared at him, and Yami suddenly found a flood of water covering him from above his head down. When the water stopped, Yami spluttered, "Hey! That's not fair!" Over the last few weeks of Crystal's stay, she'd been studying her magic a lot more with Yami, Mana and Mahaado. Her skills were rapidly improving, and she had also learned a great deal more control. Of course, her new-found powers did come at a price...

She grinned evilly in response, "Well, I've wanted to try that trick out for a while. And let me tell you this, life's not fair. Now look up."

Yami obliged, and saw what Crystal was grinning about. A miniature almost cartoonish rain cloud hung over his head, and as he looked up it dropped another torrent of water on him.

Crystal chuckled as Yami tried to move away from the cloud, and it just followed him. "It's no use Yami. That rain cloud's just going to keep raining on you."

When the rain stopped briefly, Crystal saw Yami grinning wickedly at her.

"What are you doing?" she asked curiously.

In response, Yami began moving slowly towards her. It only took her a few seconds to realise what he was up to, and she gasped. "Don't you dare!"

It was a little late. Yami leapt at her, pinning her to the ground, and therefore succeeded in soaking her.

"Yami!" she shrieked, trying to push him off her.

When he refused to move, Crystal had little option than to cancel the spell. It vanished, and Crystal opened her eyes again.

She immediately felt herself flush. Yami's face was only a few inches away from hers, and he was still lying on top of her. It was more shock that had left the two of them staring at each other for a few minutes.

Suddenly, reality kicked in, and both royals went a deep shade of red as they realised their awkward position. Yami almost instantly rolled off her, and got to his feet. When Yami moved, Crystal also stood up.

"Sorry," Yami said.

"It's okay. So, uh, anyway………how did your talk with Kaiba go?"

Yami was grateful for the change of subject, but remembered in time that he couldn't tell her the truth. "Well, after a while, we finally agreed on the gods of honour at the festivals, and realised that they are exactly the same as this month last year."

"Interesting. That would have been very convenient if you had just decided to do that then."

"Yes, it would have."

Crystal started squeezing the water out of her hair, "I think, since I'm already wet, I'll go have a nice long bath."

Yami nodded, "That sounds like a very good idea. Do you want to meet at the fountain in the middle of the labyrinth in about 2 hours then?"

"That would be nice. I haven't been there for a long time."

"Well, I'll see you there later, I suppose."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

--------------------------------------------About 1 ½ hours later------------------------------------------

Crystal sighed in contentment. The bath was warm, and she felt very relaxed. As she was daydreaming (of a certain someone), she sank further into the large bathtub. However, the peace and quiet wouldn't last very long.

"Best you don't fall asleep in the bath again, Crystal. You could drown this time."

Crystal lazily opened one eye. "Mana, go bother Mahaado."

Mana glared at her friend. "Well, as he's currently with Yami, who is also having a bath, I figured they might not really appreciate my presence."

Crystal closed her eye again. "I agree."

Mana grinned mischievously, even though Crystal currently couldn't see her. "But judging by Yami's face before, I'd say he wouldn't mind if you were there."

Crystal's eyes snapped open, and she sat up so fast that water went flying everywhere. "What?"

Mana's eyes twinkled, "Oh, didn't I mention it? When Mahaado and I were walking around the gardens, enjoying our free time, we heard you and Yami talking. We decided to come and find you, and guess what we found?"

Crystal's face was turning red, so Mana continued with another playful grin, "We found the Pharaoh of Egypt lying on top of the Princess of Isiria! And it was quite an unexpected sight too. We didn't think you'd be up to that yet."

In response to that, Crystal splashed Mana with no small amount of water, though she was still very red.

After Crystal stopped the splashing, Mana removed her arm from her eyes and continued, "Care to explain why the most powerful man in Egypt was lying on top of you then?"

Crystal sighed, cheeks still flaming, and told Mana the story. Mana just grinned. "Interesting."

Crystal leaned back in the bath, the white towel wrapped around her vanishing under the waterline again.

Mana smiled. "I'll bet you two will be announcing your engagement any day now."

Crystal looked pained as Mana said this, remembering things she wanted to forget. Mana noticed Crystal's expression, and looking concerned, asked, "What's wrong?"

Crystal climbed out of the bath and put a dry robe on. As she sat down on the edge of the bath, next to Mana, she started to cry. "Mana, I don't want to marry Rames. I don't love him. I hate him."

Mana looked a little surprised at the change of subject, but realised that when she had said engagement, she'd reminded Crystal of her coming wedding. Mana hugged Crystal as she continued to cry, thinking about Rames. After his talk with Seto, Yami had told Mahaado about who Rames really was. Then Mahaado had told her, so she knew about the danger Crystal was in. Except, only Mana had suspected how much Crystal was hurting inside because of her father's decision, and now she knew that her suspicions were true.

"I know, and I wish you didn't have to do this either, but your father has already signed the document, and there's little, if anything, that we can do about it."

Crystal just sniffed, "He said that he'd never make me marry someone, he said he'd let me marry whoever I love! Father doesn't even care that I love someone else!"

Mana only hugged Crystal closer. "Then there is another. May I ask who?" Mana asked, although she had a feeling that she already knew.

Crystal was silent for a while, and then answered. "Yes. I love...Yami. But I doubt he'd ever love me in return."

Mana asked gently, "Why do you think that?"

Crystal sniffed again, "Because he is Pharaoh, and he can have any woman he wants. And because...because of the way he reacted when Isis said that she would arrange a marriage between us."

"Oh, Crystal. I'm sure it was only shock at the idea, and nothing else."

"Mana, didn't you see the look on his face? He looked horrified!" she cried.

Mana sighed sadly. The strain of this coming wedding was really getting to her. Until today, Crystal hadn't really cried since her mother's funeral. "Crystal? I cannot be certain, but maybe his horror was because he didn't want to be forced to marry you, he wanted to see how you felt about it."

Crystal pulled slightly away from Mana so that she could see her. "What?"

Mana smiled. "I know he cares a lot about you, if not love you. Give it time. No person could know you well and not love you."

Crystal smiled at the praise, but then looked sad again. "I don't have time. I'll be marrying Rames in a few months."

Mana looked shocked. "But the palace wasn't supposed to be repaired for another 6-7 months!"

"Well, one of the servants came by earlier with a message for me. It was from Rames, and it said that he is doing everything he can to speed up the repairing. Although he didn't say it outright, I have a feeling he has hired some magicians. He also said that he assumes that the palace will be repaired in a few months, if not sooner. I'd like to know how he hired the magicians though. From what I can see, he's not very rich."

Mana was silent. She knew how Rames was hiring magicians. Probably though Ishtar, like he'd hired the ones to kill Crystal earlier.

Crystal then continued, oblivious to what Mana was thinking, "Besides, even if Yami wanted to marry me, he can't overrule my father. The contract is signed, and nothing can change it."

Mana shook her head, "You forget: the man you love is the most powerful man in Egypt. His law overrules your father's. You have to tell Yami how you feel."

"I can't. I'm...I'm afraid."

"Of what?" Mana asked gently.

"Of what he'd say. Of what would happen to our friendship. Of what would happen to me."

Mana sighed again, "I seriously doubt anything would happen. Even if he doesn't love you, I know that Yami would never hurt you. He'll always be your friend."

Crystal nodded, "You're right. But still, I have doubts. I suppose I had better tell him now, as I was going to meet him anyway."

Mana smiled, "If you need me, just call."

"Thankyou, Mana."

"You're welcome. Now, I think you'd better get dressed. You'd cause uproar if you walked around in that."

Crystal chuckled softly at that, and went to go get changed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mahaado sighed. He and Yami arrived at the centre of the labyrinth late, and Crystal still hadn't arrived. Yami was pacing around, and was getting quite worried.

"Yami, stop worrying. She will be here soon."

"Mahaado, I can't help it. It's not like her to be late, so something must have happened."

"Mana is with her. She'll be fine."

Yami did not reply, and resumed his pacing. A few minutes passed this way, with Yami getting more and more worried. After 15 minutes had passed, Yami heard someone clearing their throat, and looked up.

He then saw Mana standing there, grinning at him. Crystal looked out of breath as she stood next to her guardian. Her face was flushed, and her hair was slightly wind-blown.

As she reached up to her hair to smooth it, she spoke, "Sorry for being so late."

"It's alright," Yami could barely say.

As always, Yami was tongue-tied. Crystal looked gorgeous in her outfit. She was dressed in a slim-fitting, long-sleeved white dress, with a blue vest covered in gold embroidery over it.

Noticing that the two royals were staring at each other, Mana spoke up to distract them. "Well, if you two don't mind, Mahaado and I would like to wander around the labyrinth for a while."

Mahaado's normally impassive face changed to one of surprise, "We would?"

Crystal tore her eyes away from Yami, and grinned at her guardian. "Sure that's all you plan to do."

Mana blushed, and Mahaado tried unsuccessfully to make his face blank again to hide his own blushing. Mana spent a lot of time teasing Crystal, in a friendly way, and Crystal gave back as good as she got.

Before either royal could say anything else, their two guardians had disappeared.

Yami blinked. "Well, that was fast."

Crystal nodded, and sat down on the fountain. "I'll say."

Yami sat down next to her, his gold jewellery flashing in the sunlight. Crystal smiled at the sight and turned to face him, "Was there anything you wanted to tell me about, Yami?"

Yami was a little surprised. It was almost as if she knew. "Yes, there is."

"Well?"

Yami looked into her eyes, and felt his previous confidence fade, "I...I wanted to congratulate you on your wedding to Rames." As he said this, he mentally kicked himself. That wasn't what he meant to say! Also, Crystal looked upset at what he had said.

"Please don't congratulate me. It's a curse, not a blessing! I hate him, and I certainly do not want to marry him!" she cried.

Yami looked a little bewildered as her eyes welled up with tears, "I'm sorry. I didn't know. It seemed...the right thing to say."

Crystal sniffed. "It's alright. You did not know, and anyway, that was polite of you to say that. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"Well, tell me about it now. Tell me why your father would make you marry this man if you do not love him."

Crystal sighed, "Well, I suspect that my father was controlled by those trying to make my life miserable when he signed the agreement."

"All right, that makes sense."

"I also think it is terrible, because those people are succeeding in their task. They have killed my mother, taken away almost all my friends, and now they are taking away my freedom to love who I choose. My father would never do that to me, and he would let me love whoever I wanted as long as they took care of me."

Yami sighed, remembering court over the past few months, "Judging by the amount of affairs that I have dealt with over the past year, I'd say that no-one can take away that right."

Crystal smiled sadly. "That is true, I suppose, but I would never stop feeling guilty knowing that I loved someone other than my husband, no matter how badly my husband would treat me."

Yami frowned as she said the last part, but nodded. "Then at least one other member of the rulers of Egypt has moral beliefs."

Crystal nodded, staring at the flowers across from her, some distance away. She wasn't really paying attention anymore, wrapped up in her own thoughts.

Yami turned her head back to face him, and said inquiringly, "You mentioned that you would never stop feeling guilty for loving another. Does this mean that there is already someone?"

Crystal's eyes widened slightly. She hadn't realised exactly what she had said. At first she did not want to reply, but she felt she owed Yami an answer. "There is someone that I love, but I could not tell them with my marriage so close. I have little doubt that they do not feel the same way about me anyway."

Yami sighed, and leaned back slightly. "It is similar for me. I doubt that the woman who stole my heart either knows or cares that she did such a thing."

Crystal smiled a little at the phrase, but at the same time, felt her heart sink. Even though she could not love Yami, she still didn't want him to love another woman. Deciding that she might as well get the pain over with, she asked. "Well, who is the lucky woman? Perhaps I could put in a good word for you."

Yami stood up, and turned around to once again face her, a sad smile on his face. "Although that is kind of you, it would be impossible."

She also stood up, "And why would that be? Is she dead?"

Yami shook his head. "She might as well be, for I can plainly see that my love for her is not wanted."

"Well, who is she?"

Yami raised his head again to look at her, his expression serious. "You."

Crystal looked shocked, and even though she knew it was wrong, she _had_ to tell him somehow that she loved him too. She just couldn't break his heart, even though she knew it would kill him to see her get married to another man if she did so. So she did tell him. And she did it without words.

As Yami turned to leave, she stopped him with a gentle kiss.

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Angel: Woot! I finished! And a cliffie to boot!

Bakura: Woot? What the hell is 'woot' supposed to mean?

Angel: Whatever I want it to mean. So there!

Bakura: ¬¬;;

Angel: Wait...how did you get here?

Bakura: You made me come, remember? I'm here until you get Nozomi and Yami from HCG.

Angel: Oh yeah, that's right. I could always just steal them off Ebony...if I actually knew these people and wasn't afraid of their wrath...

Bakura: (rolls eyes)

Angel: Anyway, how did you guys like this chapter? Please tell me in a review, and I might be inspired to write faster!

Bakura: I doubt that.

Angel: Quiet you, or I'll turn you into Kawari.

Bakura: Huh?

Fangirls: (far away for now) KAWARI? WHERE?

Angel: The guy in HCG's fics who gets mobbed, hugged and kidnapped by many Fangirls

Bakura: (remembers) I'll be quiet

Angel: Good Bakura (grins happily)

Bakura: I am so glad I am not in this story

Angel: That could change very soon, my friend (cackles evilly)

Bakura: (looks very scared)

Angel: (grins) Well, do you guys want Bakura in the story? And what do you think will happen next? I want to hear what you guys think. And I won't update unless I get at least 5 more reviews!

C YA! Angel


	12. Running Away

Angel: I am loved!

Y.Ang: (sighs) Yeah sure, whatever

Yami: (raises eyebrow) She sure has a big ego, and she is very strange

Y.Ang: Duh! She got 8 reviews in 2 days! She's happy!

Yami: Ok, anyway, can someone please explain why I am here?

Angel: (grins) Of course! You are my favourite character, and I got sick of Bakura, who 'helped' last chapter.

Yami: Oh joy. So I'm stuck with you?

Y.Ang: Just be glad you are not a full-time muse

Yami: (gulps)

Angel: Why? That would be an honour! (scene changes to various people in the yugioh world fighting over who will NOT be my muse)

Yami: ...This is so weird.

Angel: (shrugs) Get used to it. You're now going to be my muse for this story, whether you like or not.

Yami: (faints)

Y.Ang: (dryly) Well, he seems happy about that

Angel: Well, actually, I think he just remembered Crystal was supposed to be a guest muse in this chapter, and that isn't good at the moment.

Y.Ang: (raises eyebrow) This isn't about that fight I heard yesterday in the 'characters complex', is it?

Angel: (sweatdrops) Probably

Y.Ang: What happened?

Angel: Well, you see, remember how even though I don't really like the Yami/Tea, Yami/Anzu couple, but I will still read Fanfictions on it?

Y.Ang: Yes...

Angel: Well, Crystal didn't know that, and she sought of went though my favourites list, that the yamis have added to, and read them. Since she knows I dislike…

Y.Ang: (coughs) Hate! (coughs)

Angel: Fine, hate that couple, she assumed they were Yami's favourites, as he was on my computer a couple of days ago, and added some in, but it wasn't those stories. I think those stories were actually added by Bakura. She is now upset, as some of the stories were...ahem...a little graphic, or at least Bakura said they were.

Y.Ang: So that's why Yami was kicked out and ended up here.

Angel: Yeah. Anyway, Crystal is mad at Yami and is accusing him of cheating on her with Tea, and that Tea wrote the stories to rub it in. So Crystal is quite upset, and almost refused to do this chapter until she read what she does. She inspired some of this herself, actually.

Yami: (wakes up) Oh good, it was just a dream. I was worried there for a minute

Y.Ang: If you're talking about your becoming this story's muse, that wasn't a dream.

Yami: (faints again)

Angel: (coughs) Crystal, get in here and do the disclaimer!

Crystal: (walks in and glares at Yami) Fine. Angel does not own YuGiOh. She doesn't own the names of cities used in her game _Pharaoh._ She also does not own Kawari, Kaeru, Nozomi, and any other Negative Realm characters that she mentions or talks to. They belong to the talented High Crystal Guardian, so Angel doesn't own them. However, she does own Rames, me, my father, my city, and……hey wait, most of the stuff you own is actually mine!

Angel: (sweatdrops) Umm……yeah. On with the chapter!

'_Italics'_ stands for mind speech

_Italics_ in paragraphs stands for flashbacks, or memories.

"word" stands for normal speech

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 12: Running Away

Yami was surprised by Crystal's actions, but he still responded. The two were kissing for a few minutes before Crystal suddenly broke away, her hand over her mouth.

"I'm so sorry, I...I shouldn't have done that. I have to go"

Yami looked confused, and quite hurt as Crystal turned and fled. _'What did I do wrong?'_ he thought before he disappeared to his hidden sanctuary in the palace, where he went when he wanted to be alone.

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Crystal collapsed on the bed when she reached her room, tears streaking down her cheeks. "Why? Why does he have to love me?" she shrieked, throwing her pillow at the door.

After the pillow hit the ground, someone entered the room. "The Pharaoh cannot help the way he feels, Crystal. I think your actions only made his heartache worse."

Crystal turned around slightly to face the door, her face still streaked with tears. All this turmoil surrounding her upcoming wedding was affecting her and causing her emotions to spiral out of control. "Mana?"

Mana sighed and started to walk towards her friend. "Yes, it's me. And I spoke the truth, Yami looked heartbroken when you left. He thinks he misunderstood you. It would have been kinder to him to do nothing and just leave."

Crystal's eyes filled with tears again. "Mana, I just couldn't tell him...despite my actions. Because I must marry Rames, it's better if Yami is confused about us. Even though I hate Rames, I would never go behind his back, even for love. It would never work between us anyway. My people despise the Pharaoh, and the way he rules. They would never approve."

Mana looked angry at Crystal's last statement, "You have got to stop putting your people before yourself! Ever since your mother died, you've never been as happy as you used to be, and putting your people first has only made it worse! Yami is giving you a chance to get that happiness back, and you should refuse to marry Rames because of that! Yami loves you, and he would do anything to make you happy!"

Crystal then glared at Mana, the effect only spoiled by the tears still streaming down her face. "How dare you mention my mother? You don't know what it feels like, Mana! You only have me as an obligation, and can love whom you choose! You just don't understand what I'm going through! Now get out!

Mana looked shocked. In all her years protecting Crystal, Crystal had never once yelled at her. Mana then looked at her mistress, and saw the incredible pain in her eyes. She silently prayed to the gods that they could somehow let Mana help Crystal carry her burden, but she knew in her heart that she could not help Crystal this time.

Mana then left, murmuring under her breath. "In that case, my lady, may Isis protect and help you, for I cannot do such things this time."

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Yami sighed heavily, and rolled over on the bed. Mana was right, it hurt more knowing that Crystal had kissed him and then left, rather than just knowing that she did not love him.

Mahaado had found Yami not long after Mana had left. Mana had sensed her mistress was in distress and had gone to see what the problem was. Upon sensing Yami's agony, Mahaado had followed him to this place, which was a hidden room in the palace connected to Yami's library.

"My lord?"

"What?"

Mahaado replied hesitantly, "I'm not too good with matters of the heart, so I'm sorry I have so few words of comfort for you. Perhaps things are best this way, as she is getting married in a few weeks."

"You are right, that is little comfort. I have therefore found a good reason for her marriage. Rames would not allow her to see me anyway, so I suppose things are best this way. That still doesn't make it hurt less."

"I know, my lord. You just need to take your mind off it. Chess?"

Yami smiled sadly, "I suppose. That will take my mind off it, at least."

--------------------------------------------------2 ½ hours later------------------------------------------------------

Yami rested his chin on his hands, considering his next move. He finally moved his next piece, after much consideration.

"Checkmate."

Mahaado's face showed rare surprise. "What? How did this happen?"

Yami leaned back enough to tip the chair onto two legs, a self-satisfied smile on his face as Mahaado examined the chessboard in disbelief.

Without warning, Mahaado stood up and spun around. Yami was so startled by Mahaado's sudden movement that he fell off his chair. From where he was sitting on the floor, Yami heard someone approach, and decided to stay put. _'It's probably one of my advisors,'_ he thought crossly. He was, however, wrong.

"Mahaado!"

"Mana, what is it?" For the first time in a long time, Mahaado sounded worried. Yami lifted his head above the table to see Mana, and to find out what was wrong. She had collapsed in Mahaado's arms, and she looked terrified.

"She's gone! She's gone!"

"Calm down, Mana. Who's gone?"

Mana seemed beyond being calm at the moment. "Crystal!"

Yami stood up so fast, he nearly fell over again, "What!"

Mahaado looked paler than usual at her words. "How?"

"I don't know! She screamed at me to leave, and when I went back to talk to her just a few minutes ago, she was gone!"

"How do you know she is not in the palace?" Yami asked curiously.

Mana looked angrily at him, but calmed down slightly when she saw it was Yami. She hadn't noticed him earlier. "Because all her stuff is missing, and her horse, Starlight, is missing from the stables!"

Yami looked more upset at her reply, but Mahaado looked thoughtful. "Well, if she's riding somewhere, where would she go?"

Mana still looked tearful. "Home."

"WHAT?" Yami shouted, outraged. "If she goes home, we can do nothing to keep her safe from that filthy bastard, Rames!"

Mana nodded, "I know, but remember she doesn't know the danger that Rames represents. Anyway, whenever she's upset or in trouble, she goes home. Her father and best friend are there, and besides, there she does not have to face you and know she's hurting you inside." Mana then turned to look at Yami.

Yami felt all his heartache come back as she said this, "What else can I do? I cannot just forget how I feel!"

Mana sighed, calmer now, "It would hurt her less if you did."

Yami looked stung, "How could it hurt _her_ less? I'm the one that is hurt by my feelings and her rejection, not her!"

Mana looked tired, "She hurts knowing that you are hurting. You are still her friend, regardless. I'll explain the rest of it later, but for now we need to find her and bring her back before she reaches Isiria. It is not safe for her to be out on her own, especially at this time."

Still looking faintly hurt, Yami replied, "If you'll move to the palace gates and open them, I'll arrange for a carriage and my fastest horses to be brought there."

"Alright. Let's go, Mahaado."

So the three set off to where they needed to go.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yami scowled as he followed Mana and Mahaado into the carriage. The stable master was a stubborn man, and even after Yami resorted to death-threats, he had only received three horses instead of four. Fortunately, those horses were the fastest in the palace, and they could also run for the longest distances at a fast pace. Yami had also managed to receive his biggest coach, with the royal crest on it. It would easily fit the three of them, as well as Crystal when they found her.

After the three had sat down, Yami on one side, Mana and Mahaado on the other, they started heading in Isiria's general direction. Yami looked at Mana and asked, "Is there anyway to determine exactly where Crystal is?"

Mana nodded, and frowned as she waved her hand, "I think that's right…" To her delight, the spell worked, and a floating map of Egypt appeared on the side of the carriage next to Mahaado. Yami noticed a blue dot moving away from the city labelled, 'Menefer, the Pharaoh's city.'

Mana gestured to the dot. "That's us."

Yami stared at the map, intrigued. "What's the star there for?" he asked curiously, pointing at the silver star a while away.

Mana smiled, "This map is a variation of the one the Isirian stable-master uses to keep track of our horses, and therefore the nobles that use the horses. Each Isirian horse is a different coloured star on the map. The stable-master's version is smaller though, and shows a lot less of Egypt. Crystal and I manipulated the spell to show all of Egypt, and came up with symbols for the different people. We made it so we can track people we know well with it."

"Anyway, as I said, Isirian horses are symbolised by a different coloured star. Crystal's horse is a silver coloured star, as that is the symbol for the Isirian Royal Family, and Starlight belongs to the princess. So that's where Crystal is."

Yami's eyes widened, "How ingenious. How far away would you say she is?"

Mahaado chuckled, "As you no doubt actually want to know how long it will take to catch up with her, I'd say about 3 hours. She got a head start, but she appears to be walking her horse. Therefore it will only take about that long t catch up with her, as long as our horses maintain their speed."

Mana added, "And although she is an excellent rider, she would rather walk than canter, unless she had no other choice."

Yami frowned, "So basically, we should have caught up with her after about 3 hours?"

"Yes," replied the mages.

Yami sighed. After yelling at the driver as to what direction to go in, he swung his legs up onto the cushioned bench and rested his head against the wall to catch up on some much needed sleep. He'd been awake most of last night from work, so he was more tired than normal.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Mahaado had predicted, Crystal was in fact walking her horse. She was also completely unaware that the others were following her.

_Despite what you think, you're not in a hurry to get home, are you?_

Crystal smiled, returning the mind speech, _Who would be? Rames is there._

_Point taken, my lady._

Crystal sighed as she remembered her father's reaction when she told him she could 'talk' to animals. Although she thought it was a great gift, her father had been horrified by it. She'd first discovered her gift when she was 12, and it was a short while after her mother had died.

----------------------------------------------------Flashback-----------------------------------------------------------

_Mana had left on some errand a few days ago, and Crystal was lonely. She went down to the stables, wishing for a friend to talk to who wasn't fawning over her. _

_When she arrived at the stables, she went to the stall of her favourite horse, Starlight, and started crying. As she cried, she talked about all the things that were wrong, and everything she was afraid of. As she finished, she was startled to hear a soft voice in her mind comforting her. She screamed in fright, as she knew Mana, the only person she could talk to in her mind, wasn't here._

'_Don't be frightened dear. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm sorry for what you have suffered, and I wish I could help you.'_

_Crystal looked all around her, confused, "Who are you?"_

_A gentle laughter in her mind answered her, 'My dear, you know so little about your powers. Since your mother passed on, she gave her gifts to you, and you can finally do as she did, and talk to me.'_

_Crystal moved instinctively towards Starlight, her lip trembling, "But who are you? Where are you?"_

'_I am Starlight, Princess. I am the horse that your mother chose for you.'_

_Crystal jumped back with alarm, "You are? But how is this possible?"_

_The gentle voice, who she now knew to be Starlight, answered, 'Your mother always had the ability to talk to animals, and when the good Queen died, her gift was passed to you. You didn't know because you never spoke to any animals until today.'_

_The young princess looked enchanted, "You mean I can talk to animals now?'_

'_Of course child. Sadly, most creatures are unused to talking to humans and will flee if you talk to them with your mind. You must talk to them directly, and hope they understand you. _

"_Why wouldn't they understand me?"_

'_A few wild animals do not understand human, though all Duel Monsters do. That is why you can speak to Mana in your mind. You have always had the gift of talking to Duel Monsters, but your mother could also talk to non-magical creatures, such as most animals.'_

"_So I can talk to everyone now?"_

"_Mostly, child. Since you are such a kind-hearted and sweet young girl, and most Duel Monsters, animals and humans love that, you will now probably have friends wherever you are.'_

_Princess Crystal looked delighted. "You mean it? Oh, thank you!" she cried throwing her arms around the horse's neck. "You're my second best-friend now, 'cause you helped me when Mana was away. And you didn't have to, so that was extra-nice. Thank you so much!"_

_The horse whinnied in delight at the way her simple words had so pleased the young Princess.. 'Thank goodness her mother spent so much time developing my mind and powers of speech. Where would life be without magic?' Starlight thought to herself as she nuzzled the young Princess._

-------------------------------------------------End Flashback-----------------------------------------------------

'_Princess? Hello?'_

Crystal shook herself out of her thoughts, and answered Starlight aloud, "Sorry, I was just thinking about the day we first 'spoke'. Anyway, I suppose that even though Rames is there, I think it is better to go home than anywhere else. Besides, if I went anywhere else, my father might blame Yami for my disappearance. And I don't want to think about what Father would do."

Starlight gave a mental impression of a shrug, '_Neither do I. But look on the bright side. You know those people that are trying to kill you, or at least trying to kill those you love? Well, maybe they will think that you love Rames, and they will kill him!'_

Crystal laughed, "Starlight, you are absolutely terrible. Do you know that?"

'_Of course, and I'm proud of it!'_

Crystal chuckled, and then cocked her head to one side, "Do you hear that?"

Starlight stopped, and turned her head to see behind her, _'Yes, and I can see it too. I don't like the looks of that Crystal.'_

Crystal also turned, and looked worried, "Me either. Just keep walking."

Starlight seemed very nervous, but obeyed.

After a few minutes passed, Crystal turned around again, and gasped. "Starlight, RUN!"

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Angel: (is long gone)

Y.Ang: (sweatdrops) Angel thought you guys might be after her because Yami and Crystal didn't end up together after all, and because this chapter was kinda weird...(what with the talking to animals thing that she will most likely neglect and never mention again) so she is currently in an undisclosed hiding place. She has left notes for you guys though.

Note: _'Well, something has Crystal spooked. And only I know what it is! But, still, I wanna hear your ideas, ok people? Good.'_

Yami: Although this isn't a written note, I would like to have it known that Crystal has forgiven me for that 'FanFiction romance stories' incident, after I made Bakura confess. She is currently out for his blood, and apologised multiple times for what she did to me this chapter, as she feels terrible about getting mad at me. (grins)

Y.Ang: (bored) In other words, Yami is enjoying being flirted with.

Yami: (coughs) Now, (looks at notes, and reads them) Angel would still like you to vote on whether Bakura comes in or not. She needs answers by the next chapter, or her best chance to put him in is gone. (thinks about what he just said) What the hell? As if anybody would want Bakura in any story, let alone this one! And just when Angel was writing really good too!

Y.Ang: (reads next note) Angel says: _'shut up, my writing is just fine, and just you wait until I'm safe.'_ (sighs) That is so like her

Yami: ...ok, I should've known she'd know I'd say that.

Y.Ang: Oh, here's the last note. Angel says: _I am absolutely not in Tokyo buying non-dubbed episodes of YuGiOh!_

Yami: ...Well, that wasn't very smart to say. (angry reviewers run after Angel)

(a scream is heard, followed by the sound of a plane taking off)

Y.Ang: (sighs again) Here we go.

Yami: Hey look! A new note has appeared. Let me read it!

Note: _'Ok, now I am safe again:) I am now not living in the cottage of my friend Sarah's house, and I am not watching my new DVD's on her massive TV! No, I'm not!'_

Y.Ang: Didn't she learn her lesson last time? I have the address!

Yami: (reads the newest note that appeared)_ 'Tell anyone the address and I shall kill you next chapter._' ...How blunt

Y.Ang: Damm. Oh well, if you want Angel back, and even if you're one of many who don't, please review! She might come back and update then! And judging by your last reviews, you do want her to update!

C YA! Angel


	13. Rames's Next Move

Angel: Hello again! I'm back, and very much alive! Even though I took so long to update…….

Y.Ang: She's happy. Not good

Yami: I agree. What did she do?

Y.Ang: Ate a whole box of chocolates. School fundraiser

Yami: ...Dear Ra help me.

------------------Some time later------------------

Angel: (has calmed down slightly) Well, I just want to thank all you guys for being such great reviewers, and for making me feel special! So to thank you, I will give you all a bar of virtual chocolate! Yum, more virtual chocolate...

Y.Ang: ...OK, my hikari is temporarily unable to speak properly, so once again, Yami and I are in control of the author's notes.

Yami: (sarcastically) Whoopee.

Y.Ang: (shrugs) Hey Kaiba!

Kaiba: (walks in) What?

Y.Ang: Do the disclaimer.

Kaiba: Ok…Angel does not own YuGiOh. She does own some things, but they were mentioned in previous chapters. Go read them if you don't know! (stalks out)

Y.Ang: Alright then...On with the chapter. Oh, just quickly, Angel would like it to be known that you cannot sue her for character death in this chapter, or any ones following. She would also like to say that that statement is in no way related to this chapter. Really. Thank you

'_Italics'_ stands for mind speech

_Italics_ in paragraphs stands for flashbacks, or memories.

"word" stands for normal speech

Also, as this was typed up quickly, there may be errors in relation to characters or events. I apologise ahead of time for any such mistakes.

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 13: Rames's Next Move

After a few hours sleep, Yami was woken by Mana roughly shaking him.

"What?" he asked grumpily, as he sat up.

Mahaado pointed wordlessly at the map, which by the smoke surrounding it, had only be recently summoned again. Five red crosses had appeared, and were very close to the silver star, which appeared to be moving faster.

Yami's eyes widened slightly as he became fully awake, "What do those crosses mean?"

Mana looked thoughtful. "Crosses stand for unknowns...the spell isn't all powerful."

Mahaado spoke up, having been speaking with Mana about the properties of the map for awhile. "However, we are close enough that the spell can pick up various details about the people. Because the crosses are red, it means they are carrying swords with the intent to kill. Judging by their proximity to Crystal, I'd say she is their target."

Mahaado was cut off by Yami. "WHAT!"

Mana looked at the map again, "Strange, but there also seems to be some magical interference with the map, I wonder what that could be……"

Mahaado blinked. "You're right. Something is wrong."

Yami glared at the mages, seething, "Who really cares? Just do something about them!"

Both mages nodded, and raised their staffs. An explosion was heard not far in the distance. The mages looked startled as the disrupting magical shield vanished, enabling them to see what the map hadn't seen – how close Crystal actually was. Someone with magical abilities had misled them, and if it wasn't for the explosive spell the mages cast, they would have missed Crystal and her attackers entirely.

Crystal sighed as she cantered. _'Why does this always happen to me?'_

Without warning, she was nearly rocketed off her horse by an explosion not far behind her. As she turned Starlight around, she stared in slight shock at the scene before her, "What in Ra's name?"

The bandits and their horses were lying on the ground, stunned by the blast that had hit the dead centre of their circle formation.

Crystal then glanced up, and drew her sword as she heard horses approaching. The horses belonged to a carriage with the royal family crest on the side. Crystal sighed, massaging her temples with her free hand. _'Well, this day just keeps getting better and better.'_

Shock registered across her features for a brief second as Mahaado stepped out. "Looks like that magical interference you sensed was most definitely hiding their position by confounding the map, Mana dear," he said as he helped Mana out of the carriage.

"Dear? So I'm a dear now, am I? And yes, I think you're right. It looks like it was also hiding their numbers."

Yami spoke next. "It appears so. Now could you two please move so that I can get out?"

The mage and magess did as they were asked, and the Pharaoh stepped out of the coach. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he saw Crystal, watching them silently, slight surprise on her beautiful face.

Suddenly, her expression changed. "What are you doing here?" she hissed angrily.

Yami looked hurt at her words, but saw something a little more important. "I think now might not be the best time for questions, Crystal," he stated, drawing his own blade.

Crystal felt her heart twinge as he said her name, but understood his words. The bandits were waking up, and definitely did not look impressed. Many of them had already drawn their swords, and were looking rightfully pissed off.

Yami sighed. "Well, this day just keeps getting better and better," he muttered, unknowingly repeating Crystal's earlier words.

As the criminals attacked, Yami, Mahaado, Crystal and Mana simultaneously let off their spells, killing four of the ten bandits. After that, the mages were unable to cast any more spells, as they needed to be able to concentrate, and being attacked by men out for your blood makes it a little difficult to remain focused.

Two of the remaining bandits raced off to intercept Crystal, who was still sitting on Starlight. Two attacked the Pharaoh, and the last two attacked Mahaado and Mana.

After a few minutes had passed, Mahaado dispatched his opponent by crushing his windpipe with his staff. He then attacked Mana's opponent, who fell to the ground, stunned. Mana then used her magic to kill him.

The magess then stunned one of Yami's opponents, who was then stabbed by the Pharaoh, and Mahaado cracked the skull of the other.

Yami had always been fit and was very adept at the sword, but the battle had been two against one, he'd had little sleep, and had spent the last few hours worrying. Basically, he was rather worn-out.

The whinny of a horse made him look up. Crystal had cleverly managed to dispatch one of her opponents, but the other was still fine. Wary of Starlight's hooves, he was attacking from the side.

Mana then raised her staff, temporarily stunning the man, and Yami ran up behind him, killing him instantly.

Crystal was breathing heavily as she turned slightly to look at Yami, "That was...just way...too much...training for...one day."

Yami sighed heavily. "I agree with you. Are you alright?"

Crystal frowned, and was about to answer when Yami saw something flash near her head. She gave a slightly shocked gasp, and fell backwards off her horse.

Starlight nickered in worry, and quickly turned around. Both Starlight and Yami were both horrified by what they saw.

Crystal was lying on the ground with her eyes closed, a crimson stain rapidly expanding on her stomach. The last remaining thief, who cackled in an all too familiar way as he ran off, had hit her with an arrow.

Isaac sighed as he glanced over the documents on his desk. He was very tired, but he needed to finish reading and signing them all tonight. As he looked at one of the last few, he frowned. He looked at his page, which was standing by the door.

"Bring Lord Rames here at once."

The young boy nodded and left.

Isaac continued to read the documents, getting more and more annoyed as he read them.

"My lord?"

Isaac looked dup to see that the page had returned with Rames. "Ah, Rames. Please sit down."

Rames did as he was asked, maintaining an innocent face. "What is it that you wanted to speak to me about?"

Isaac gestured to the papers. "Do you know what these are?"

Rames shook his head, "I have no ideas whatsoever, my lord."

Isaac began to look cross, "I think you do, as one of the signatures on it is yours. Why are you ordering wedding supplies?"

Rames growled to himself. _'He wasn't supposed to see those yet! I'm going to kill that secretary of mine!'_ "Well, because I'll be getting married soon."

Isaac smiled, and then frowned, "Well, congratulations! But still, you should not be charging the cost on our treasury. If you had only asked, I would have been happy to give you some money, but as you've done this, I feel I no longer should. Next time, please ask before you start charging personal things to our treasury, ok?"

Rames bowed as he turned to leave. "Understood, Highness."

Isaac shuffled the papers, "Well now that that's settled, I'd like to know who the lucky lady is?"

Rames stiffened slightly, but turned around again. "My...childhood sweetheart."

Isaac smiled. "Well I hope you have a happy marriage. You may go now."

Rames bowed again, and left the room. Once out of earshot, an evil chuckle escaped his lips.

'_I have little doubt we will, your Highness,' _he thought to himself before he spoke. "If she lives."

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Angel: Well, look at that, I've finished!

Y.Ang: And just after you started receiving all those threatening letters in the mail, from people out for your blood. What a coincidence!

Angel: (sweatdrops) Yes, a coincidence… Anyway, Crystal would normally be here now, but for obvious reasons, she's not. In order to ensure my own personal safety, I had to temporarily get rid of Yami too. So I have no one to yell at. This means goodbye people! I'll get the next chapter uploaded soon!

C YA! Angel


	14. Healing

Angel: Hello, my loyal reviewers!

Y.Ang: Oh, look, she lied. Not a quick update. Who'd have thought? -.-

Angel: Shut up. I did my best. And I am so sorry I took so long to update!

Y.Ang: Well, looks like they'll get you back sooner or later.

Angel: (trying not to think about that) Anyway, I wanted to again thank you all for your support. You have no idea how special I felt when I looked at my emails and had review alerts on the first day after updating. You guys made my day! Thanks! (gets interrupted)

Yami: (has read** Kendoro-majin514**'s review, but not the reply, and is in shock) You killed Crystal?

Y.Ang: Where were you last chapter?

Yami: Here, but I thought you just hurt her! Not killed her!

Angel: (laughs nervously) Well, about that...it was a misunderstanding?

Yami: (death-glares)

Crystal: (coughs) Ahem. I'm fine.

'Clan of Anubis' Leader: (appears) But you had a freakin' hole in your stomach from a POISONED arrow! Didn't that stupid thief kill you?

Crystal: (raises eyebrow) Umm...no. Now, who are you, and why the hell are you here?

Leader: (laughs nervously) Uhhh...I just remembered...I promised my sister I'd visit her. I must go! (leaves rather quickly)

Yami: But wait a minute? Wasn't Crystal dead?

Angel: No.

Yami: But last chapter...

Angel: I sorta made it look like she was dead. I guess some people thought she really was. Don't worry; she lived to fight another day.

Crystal: (sarcastically) Whoopee.

Yami: (look immensely relieved)

Angel: See? He does care about you!

Yami and Crystal: (both cough and blush)

Angel: (grins) And now, on with the next chapter!

'_Italics'_ stands for mind speech

_Italics_ in paragraphs stands for flashbacks, or memories.

"word" stands for normal speech

**Lonely Heart In Egypt **

Chapter 14: Healing 

Yami stared in horror, unable to believe that Crystal was in such a state. He swallowed desperately, praying that she would be okay.

Starlight apparently felt the same way. She reared up in panic, terribly distressed at seeing her beloved mistress in such a state. In order to distract himself from his thoughts, Yami went to try and calm poor Starlight.

When Starlight had reared up, Crystal's supplies (in a magical pocket of space in the form of a saddlebag), had fallen off. Mana quickly grabbed it, and after rummaging around a bit, she found Crystal's box of bandages and ointments. Mana then opened it, pulling out a few things.

"Place pressure with the bandage as soon as I pull the arrow out, ok Mahaado?"

Mahaado, who had come over to help, did as he was asked. Starlight started showing signs of panic again, and Yami began to rub her nose. He also started talking to her soothingly, as much to calm her as to calm himself.

"Hey, Starlight…calm down girl…easy girl…shh…"

He and Starlight then looked on worriedly. After some time, Mana turned around.

"Yami, could you please attach Starlight to our carriage? She can be the 4th horse we need."

Yami looked surprised at the request, but nodded, "I'll do that if Starlight feels up to cantering for a while."

Starlight snorted, and spoke to Mana. _'Of course I feel up to it. Stupid Pharaoh.'_

Mana laughed gently, and walked over to them. "You'll never change," she said affectionately.

Yami still looked worried, "Is Crystal alright?"

Mana nodded. "She'll be out of it for at least another 4 hours. After inspecting the arrow, we discovered that it was poisoned with some type of magical spell. We managed to neutralise its effects, but Crystal will most likely have amnesia when she wakes up. Other than that, when she wakes up she'll be fine. We should still get her back to the palace as soon as possible though."

Yami nodded, "Well, do you want to attach Starlight to the carriage, and I'll get Crystal? I think Starlight trusts you more."

Mana shrugged. "I suppose. Come on, girl."

As Mana set Starlight up, Yami walked over to Mahaado, who was just finishing packing up the medical supplies, and who was about to pick up Crystal. Yami noticed that Mahaado looked rather tired.

"Mahaado? If you want to just put that stuff in the coach, I'll get her."

Mahaado nodded gratefully, "Thanks."

Yami then knelt down, gently lifted Crystal. He was surprised at how light she was, but decided not to comment. With some assistance from Mana, he was successfully able to get Crystal inside. They rode home silently, as both Mahaado and Yami fell asleep.

Mana smiled as she watched the young royals. They looked so cute together. Crystal was 'sitting' on Yami's lap, and her head was resting on his shoulder. Yami's head rested on hers, and he still had his arms wrapped protectively around her. Crystal's arms were wrapped around Yami's neck.

Still smiling, Mana also started to doze.

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Rames scowled as he hurried along the corridor to his chambers. He was still angry, and the things that normally cheered him up hadn't worked. This means that he had already yelled at/threatened the mages and builders, and he'd also sent his secretary to the Shadow realm for a few hours. The girl had been considerably distressed, and barely alive afterwards, as well as even more terrified of her boss. As the girl was nearly too terrified to work, Rames had...dismissed her.

Anyway, still scowling, Rames stepped onto his chambers to see his young servant already there. The woman smiled. "Did you have a nice day today?" she asked sarcastically.

Rames pulled off his cloak, "Hardly, you stupid woman. Now, shut up Clarita."

The woman just grinned, "If you request it, my lord."

He turned around to glare at her. The former princess of Nara had come to Rames as an ally to get revenge on another woman.

Most people would have just called Clarita another pretty face, but if you looked close enough, you could see she was very dangerous and extremely spiteful. Her green eyes were cold and calculating, and her hair was as black as her heart, which is to say very black.

Then again, pretty, black-hearted bitches seemed to appeal a lot to Rames. He sighed as he sat on the bed, "Well, what news?"

Clarita looked at the documents in her hand, but also sighed and moved to sit behind him as he said this. Placing the papers down besides her, she began to massage his shoulders.

"Well?"

She shifted uncomfortably, "Bad news, I'm afraid. The bandits failed to kill, or even capture Princess Crystal. The archer managed to get a shot at her, but he failed to inflict a killing wound. The arrow was poisoned, but her magic would have been able to neutralise it"

Rames felt furious. "Well, if the idiots failed in the task of killing a single woman, they don't deserve to live."

Clarita laughed cruelly. "Of course. Crystal took care of 10 of them, but the thief escaped before we could kill him. We've had that problem with him before. He did say that Crystal was not alone in the fight though. Apparently the Pharaoh went after her."

Rames was intrigued. "The Pharaoh? Why would he go after her? Once she left his palace, he no longer had to protect her."

Clarita sighed, "Men are such idiots. He went after her because he loves her."

Rames grinned. "Oh, does he now?" _'This could definitely work to my advantage,'_

Clarita scowled, "Of course he does! Why do you think I hate the princess so? Anyway, I don't see why all you men desire her. She's nothing but a snobby sorceress who steals husbands."

Rames chuckled. "She's more than that, my dear. She is also very beautiful, and besides she didn't steal your husband. The Pharaoh broke off your marriage before he even knew her."

Clarita scowled, "I don't care. It's still her fault. The Pharaoh refused after what she did to my family. The bitch got my parents killed, and she must die no matter what. She and her pathetic father got my father and mother executed, and denied me my birthright as Queen."

Rames smirked, "Don't worry, she will be killed, or become mine, and then you can kill her. Either way, she dies. Besides, that got us to meet."

Clarita was still scowling, "I don't find that so wonderful at the moment."

Rames smiled wickedly. "Let me change your mind," he said, grabbing her shoulders roughly. He then kissed her, and pushed her onto her back.

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Crystal opened her eyes slowly. Her head hurt a lot, but she still sat up. She was confused, and didn't know where she was. The last thing that she remembered was a sharp pain in her stomach. She noticed that now it looked a lot darker outside than the last time she remembered.

The next thing she noticed was Mana, who was siting at the end of the bed. Mana smiled gratefully, turned to the door, and shouted to the servant outside.

Crystal recoiled as the sound vibrated through her head. "Mana, don't do that!" she said groggily.

Mana just smiled, "Sorry, but he wanted to know as soon as you woke up."

Crystal put one hand to her head, "Who?"

To answer the question, the door banged open, causing Crystal to wince again, shutting her eyes. She rubbed her forehead, and felt someone's weight as they sat next to her.

A deep voice, filled with concern, asked her. "Crystal, are you feeling better?"

She opened her eyes blearily, turning to face the speaker "Yami?"

Yami nodded, "Hello. How do you feel?" he asked, sounding almost anxious.

She sighed, "Like I've just been run over by a carriage, or been drinking all night. My head hurts."

Yami smiled gently, "Well, you did hit the ground pretty hard."

Crystal raised an eyebrow questioningly. "I suppose I did," she muttered.

Yami didn't notice her questioning look, and continued, "Well, it's good you're awake. I was worried."

Crystal blushed, and turned her body to face him directly, as it hurt her head less. Pain shot through her stomach, causing her to cry out in pain.

Yami's face changed instantly into a look of deep concern. "What is it?"

Crystal's hand went to her stomach, "What happened to me?"

Yami opened his mouth to answer, but Mana interrupted, "You were in the gardens when you were attacked. You fell over backwards, hitting your head on the fountain. An arrow had hit you in the stomach. I believe the fall gave you amnesia. You're lucky it wasn't a concussion."

Yami frowned at hearing this turn of events, but Mana just gave him an 'I'll explain later' look, and he fell silent. Fortunately, Crystal noticed nothing.

"Well, how long have I been unconscious?"

Mana smiled, "About 5 hours, I'd say, give or take."

Crystal nodded, then immediately wished she hadn't. "Oww."

Mana sighed, and shook her head. "You just need rest. Come on Yami," she said as she began to drag the Pharaoh out of the room.

"Hey! But I just got here and..."

Crystal giggled as Mana pulled the protesting Pharaoh out of the room. Still smiling, she lay back down on her warm, comfy bed, falling asleep almost straight away.

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"Ahem. You can stop dragging me now."

Mana sighed, and released the Pharaoh's arm, "I know."

Yami rubbed his arm, a rather sour expression on his face, "Well, why…?"

"Because I needed to talk to you," she interrupted.

"About what?"

"Crystal."

Yami looked alarmed at the look on Mana's face, "Why? What's happened? What's wrong?"

She shook her head, "Nothing physical. It's more of a mental and emotional problem."

Yami lowered his eyes. "My confession?"

Mana nodded. She looked tired, "Sort of. It involves that, in a way."

Yami was looking frustrated. "A straight answer would be nice."

Mana sighed, "As you can probably tell, she has amnesia. As far as I can tell by gently probing her mind, she doesn't remember anything about today."

Yami looked determined. "Well, I'll just have to tell her again, won't I?"

Mana shook her head, and held him back, "No."

"Why not?"

"She was hurt enough last time. I won't let her be put through that again."

Yami looked stung, "_She_ was hurt? I was the one that had their heart-broken!"

"True. But so did she. In telling her of your feelings, you are tearing her in two. She does care for you, but because of her obligation to Rames, she won't let herself love you. So in breaking your heart, she broke hers."

Yami stiffened, "What? But..."

Mana sighed. "Yes, that's mostly true. She was telling me about it afterwards."

The two stood in silence for a time, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Yami spoke up, "Is there anyway to stop her wedding? If it hurts her so much, she shouldn't have to go through such a thing."

Mana looked sad, "Sadly, no. Not only is her father royalty, but he is also her father. He has every right to arrange a marriage for his daughter. Once it's happened, nothing can change it, except the future husband or his family. I doubt Rames would change his mind, though."

"So can no one override Isaac's decision?"

Mana frowned, "As far as I'm aware, other than the fiancée's family, only Isaac's superior could, and really only with Isaac's permission."

"Well, in that case, I can make things easier for her."

"How?"

Yami's face was grim, "I'm going to see her father, and make him see the damage he's done!"

Mana looked slightly surprised, but then her eyes turned mischievous again, "You have other things to ask her father too, don't you?"

Yami's face flushed, and he lowered his eyes. "Well, it's more polite to ask…" he mumbled.

As Mana's grin widened, Yami turned to leave. Alarm crossed her face, "You're not leaving now! It's almost sundown!"

Yami turned, looking determined, "Why not? The sooner the better."

She bit her lip, "I suppose. But what should I tell Crystal?"

Yami stopped, "I'm not sure. You'll think of something."

"I'll say that you had to go somewhere on urgent business. Crystal won't like it, but she'll understand."

"Thank you, Mana. Take care of her for me."

"You're welcome. And why wouldn't I?"

Yami chuckled, "Point taken. Well, goodbye."

Mana smiled, "Goodbye, and good luck, my Pharaoh."

He smiled, nodded his head and left.

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Yami: Oh goody! Is the next chapter the one where I...

Y.Ang: Shut up! You know if you say anything, Angel will kill you when she gets back.

Yami: (gulps)

Angel: (returns) Hello! I've done my Christmas shopping!

Y.Ang: A little early, don't you think?

Angel: I suppose, but who cares? I had to do something to celebrate the end of school this year.

Yami: But you're going shopping tomorrow! Why would you go shopping today as well?

Crystal: (walks past with shopping bags) Yami, if you're going to ask stupid questions like that, it's obvious you'll never understand women. Let's go girls!

Angel and Y.Ang: YAY! (leave)

Yami: Hey! Don't leave me here alone! (sweatdrops) Umm...ok. I don't think Angel wanted to say anything else, but in case she is really lazy, as usual, and doesn't get around to updating again before Christmas, here's a message for you all. Kaiba, would you do the honours?

Kaiba: (glares) Fine. Merry Christmas to all.

Tea: That's not how you do it! You _supposed_ to say: MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY:D :D :D

Mai: Hey! How did you come back to life? We fried you! (girls get into anime dust-cloud fight)

Yami: ...Ok. Oh yeah, one last note: Angel would like to profusely apologise for the bad time continuum – she has a slight problem with that in roleplays too. Now, please review! At least 5 before Angel updates!

C YA! Angel


	15. Time for Talk

Angel: (singing) We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Y.Ang: (clutching ears) Make it stop!!

Yami: (surprisingly cheerful) Ain't going to happen.

Angel: (stops singing for a minute and states randomly) Sorry for lateness everybody (starts singing again)

Y.Ang: (ignores her weird singing hikari and regards Yami suspiciously) Why are you so happy?

Yami: (looks nervous) Umm…

Bakura: (walks past drunkenly, holding a bottle of beer and a packet of lollies)

Y.Ang: (raises eyebrow) Did you rob that liquor/candy store downtown again?

Yami: (sweatdrops)

Angel: (stops singing, finally) No! My characters/muses do not get drunk or rob places unless I tell you to!!

Crystal: (death-glaring at Yami) Yeah! Yami, how could you?? You promised you'd stop!

Yami: (looks rather nervous) Crystal, I…

Crystal: (huffs and walks off)

Y.Ang: Well, that was interesting.

Angel: (shrugs) She'll forgive him eventually.

Yami: (brightens considerably) Oh goody! Is this the chapter where I…(gets stopped again)

Angel: NO! You do not say anything about this chapter or you, my friend, will be in serious pain!

Yami: O...O

Y.Ang: (sighs) Replies to reviews:

**Maistwin**: Yeah, Christmas shopping is the best! It combines two very good things: shopping, and holidays! YAY!! (coughs) Anyway, thanks for your much-appreciated comments.

**Leneia**: See? I updated, the day before Christmas! Aren't I so good?

Y.Ang: (sarcastically) And so modest too.

Angel: (coughs) Be quiet, you. Anyway, thanks for your confidence in me. Much appreciated! And yeah, I did have slight writer's block over the amnesia thing. When I wrote the chapter down, I used another idea, and then realised I used amnesia in a later chapter. So I had to change it fast. Result: Not good. Sorry about that

**shadow-fox313**: Thank you for reviewing. And thanks for the compliments too. Just out of curiosity, why do you like my story? What makes it appeal to you? Could you tell me please?

**mya starnight**: Thanks for the compliments. You think this is good too? Could you also tell me what you like about the story, and what makes it appeal to you? I'm curious.

**Ria, the person in the shadows**: Well, I'm glad you like it. I don't really care which chapter you review, as long as you review. And who knows? Yami just might be pounding Rames soon, especially if it catches someone's attention. That gives me an idea… And sorry about the slow update……

Angel: Ok, I really don't have anything further to add here, besides the usual apologies for lateness, so on with the story! Yami?

Yami: Angel does not own YuGiOh. Get used to it. Stop asking about it. And for Ra's sake, accept it!

Angel: O...O ……thank you, Yami

'_Italics'_ stand for mind speech

_Italics_ in paragraphs stands for flashbacks, or memories.

"word" stands for normal speech

Just on a side note, after chapter 16, updates will be really slow, as I haven't even written those chapters yet. I will get there soon, I promise! I am trying. Please don't shoot me! I need to live!!!!!

Y.Ang: (sweatdrops) Right………

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 15: Time for Talk, Time for Friends, and Time for Truth

Crystal awoke with a start at the sound of a crash. She sat up immediately but she couldn't focus on the cause of the noise. Her sudden movement left her slightly disorientated for a few seconds.

When her eyes focused, she saw the horrified maid standing there with her hand over her mouth, "I'm so sorry milady! I did not mean to wake you! I just dropped the tray as I was replacing it!"

Crystal sighed, "It's alright. What time is it?"

"4 hours past dawn, milady." (AN: For us, roughly 10:00 am)

"I slept all night?"

"Indeed milady."

Crystal suddenly looked shocked as an idea formed in her mind. "Have you been giving me fresh trays of food all night?"

The maid nodded, "I have, milady, on my lord Pharaoh's orders. He said that he would take it as a personal insult if you woke and had to ask for food."

Crystal smiled, a light blush crossing her cheeks, "Well, thank you. You can go if you wish."

"My thanks, milady."

Crystal nodded politely, but her dreamy expression showed her thoughts were elsewhere. Judging by the smile on her face, and the deepening blush on her cheeks, the maid didn't have to guess the subject of the young princess's thoughts.

As she discretely left, the maid thought to herself, 'The Pharaoh is a lucky man to have won the heart of such an angel.'

Once the maid left, Crystal shook herself out of her thoughts, and started eating. 'It was so sweet of Yami to do this for me,' she thought to herself.

Despite the fact that she hadn't eaten for almost a day, Crystal wasn't very hungry, and only nibbled at the tray of fresh fruits. Also, she started daydreaming again.

However, her thoughts were interrupted again as she heard the door open. Crystal turned to face the door, and saw Mana walking towards her.

"Oh, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

Crystal sighed, "I feel fine. I'm not really hungry though."

Mana's expression turned stern, "Well, you need to eat. You've gone almost a whole day without food. You look terrible."

"Why, thankyou," Crystal replied dryly.

Mana's eyes narrowed, "Well, it's true! The spell that was used to heal you overnight got its energy by burning off the little fat you possess. You look absolutely gaunt. The Pharaoh would have a heart attack if he saw you like this."

Crystal blushed again, but frowned as a thought came to mind. "Speaking of Yami, where is he? He was here as soon as I woke up last night."

Mana hesitated, and Crystal looked half-frightened/half-suspicious as she asked again, "What? Where is he?"

Mana sighed, thinking to herself that the best answer was a simple one, "He had to leave on urgent business yesterday. However, he sends his apologies that he cannot spend time with 'his guest' and said he should be back in a week's time. Just in time for your birthday."

Crystal frowned at the vague details, but then looked quite sad. Mana noticed this, and asked, "What's wrong?"

Crystal sighed sadly, "It's nothing life-threatening Mana. I just really wanted to spend as much time with Yami as possible before my wedding. You know Rames won't let me after it."

Mana nodded, "Yes, I do. He'd get all jealous and suchlike, unless you had a perfectly good business reason."

Crystal just nodded, staring miserably out at nothing. Mana suddenly brightened as she had an idea. "Well, Yami isn't the only person worth talking to in this palace. What about the Prince and the Priest of Seth?"

Crystal also brightened considerably, smiling to herself at Mana's formality. "Yugi and Seto? Of course! I can't believe I almost forgot them. I'm going to go find them right now!" she said determinedly, as she made to sit up.

Mana caught the young princess's shoulders and forced her to lie down again. Clucking her tongue, she said, "Uh-uh. You're not going anywhere. If you want to see them, they'll have to come here."

Crystal accepted this with a stubborn look and pout. "Fine then. Have it your way."

Mana then ordered the page outside to 'find Prince Yugi and Priest Seto, and bring them to the Princess Crystal's chambers.'

The boy nodded, and Mana handed him a small sweet. The young boy grinned at her in thanks and then left. As he left, Mana turned to Crystal and smiled, "They should be here any minute. The lad is very good at his job, and because he likes us both so much, he'll go as fast as he can."

Crystal nodded in a non-committing manner, but made Mana fish a coin out of her chest to give the child when he returned. Then the two women set about eating the tray of fruits.

Just as they were finishing, the page knocked on the door. Crystal called out that he could enter, and he stepped into the room. "My ladies, His Holiness, Priest Seto, and his Highness, Prince Yugi are here."

Mana tossed the coin to the lad, which he caught with a grin, "Thank you, child. They can come in too."

The boy bowed, and disappeared out the door. The door then re-opened, and the two aforementioned guests entered. Yugi ran into the room, a delighted grin on is face, and jumped onto the bed, giving Crystal a huge hug. Kaiba chuckled, and walked over to sit next to her, politely kissing her cheek in welcome.

"I trust my lady is feeling better?"

Crystal smiled at his formality, but sighed, "You are correct. Still, I have been better."

A look of alarm crossed Yugi's face, "I didn't make you worse, did I?"

Crystal laughed, "Of course not, silly! Whatever made you think that?"

The young prince relaxed visibly, "Yami said if I made you any worse, he'd make me have lessons all day long and not let me have strawberries for a week."

"Well, you made me feel better, so we don't have to worry. And if you like strawberries, you can have this," she said as she reached for the tray of food.

Yugi's naturally wide eyes widened further as Crystal showed him the huge strawberry, "You're lucky you came when you did, I was just about to eat it. But you can have it."

Yugi stared at the strawberry like it was the most precious thing in the world, then started eating it. After he had devoured the strawberry, Yugi looked at her pleadingly, "Can we please play hide-and-seek now? I've missed playing with you."

Crystal brightened, "I've missed playing with you too. Let's go."

As the princess made to get up, she felt a restraining hand on her shoulder. Seto's voice followed, "Since Mana has mysteriously vanished, it is my duty to make sure you stay in bed, and don't go anywhere. If you strain yourself too much, you could get worse. You're already quite weak as it is."

"But Seto," she whined, "Hide-and-seek isn't a strenuous activity."

Kaiba frowned, "No buts about it. If you want to play, you'll have to conceive some way to play it from your bed. You're not going anywhere."

Crystal scowled, and looked as though she was about to retaliate when Yugi spoke up. "I know! I can hide while you cover your eyes, and Seto can see where I hide. Then, you can guess places where I am, and Seto will tell you if I'm there or not."

Crystal brightened considerably, and turned her version of the infamous 'puppy-dog eyes' on him, "Please Seto? Can we please?"

Seto stares at her. 'Aargh! Those eyes! Where did she learn to do that? Yami is going to spoil her to death if she uses them on him. Then again, it's not like he wouldn't have anyway.' Seto sighed, "I suppose so."

Yugi grinned, giving the priest, (turning advisor), a huge hug, "Yay! Thank you Kaiba!"

Crystal smiled gratefully. "Thanks Seto. You'd better not lie to me though," she said warningly as she covered her eyes.

He smiled softly as Yugi hid behind her dressing table, "I won't."

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Yami scowled, impatiently pacing around the room. His Captain of the Guard, Joey, was watching his close friend nervously.

"Yami, are you alright?" he asked softly.

Yami's response was to growl and glare at the door, trying hard not to yell at his friend.

In case you're wondering what's going on here, Yami and his escort had arrived in Isiria a little over an hour ago. However, they had been unable to see the King straight away as he was sleeping. Therefore, Yami and his entourage, including Joey, two other guards, and a few servants had been shown to the newly repaired throne room of the palace.

The reason for Yami's more annoyed than usual attitude was standing at the door to the room. Rames had come down to deliver the message about his lord's plans, and by bringing up his upcoming wedding, had forced Yami to offer congratulations, or risk offending Isaac by his lack of manners to a member of Isaac's court. Yami had a feeling Rames had only mentioned the fact to gloat about it.

The reason Rames was still even alive was mostly due to Crystal. Over her weeks with Yami, she had significantly softened the young Pharaoh's temper. However, Yami's newfound calmness had been pushed to the limit over Rames bringing up his wedding. Only the thought of what would happen to Crystal if he could not gain her father's favour stopped him from pounding Rames for what he'd done to the princess.

Yet, as Joey had pointed out, killing Rames would have solved the wedding problem. Then Yami had crossly pointed out that he had another favour to ask of Isaac, so murdering Rames was out of the question, despite Yami's feelings about him.

"My lord?"

Yami whirled around, his teeth clenched, "Yes?"

The page flinched, obvious fear on his young face, "Umm…my lord King Isaac is here."

Yami's expression softened at seeing the lad's fear, "He can come in as he wishes. He is the lord here, while I am naught more than an uninvited guest. I must wait on his wishes, for a change."

Isaac chuckled, stepping into the room, and dismissing the page, "Well spoken, my Pharaoh. What brings you here to be an 'uninvited guest' as you so elegantly put it?"

Yami nodded his head, dismissing his guards and servants. Isaac looked puzzled, but also turned to Rames, who had since entered the room. 'Rames, please leave us. Tell the guards and servants they are not to bother me this afternoon unless upon a matter of utmost urgency," he said turning around to face Yami again.

A look of outrage crossed the advisor's face for a brief second, but he then bowed, speaking through clenched teeth, "At once my lord."

Isaac then cheerfully called out, "And don't you dare eavesdrop again. I won't have my guest thinking my court rude."

Yami saw another brief flash of rage cross Rames's face as he left the room, "Do you think it wise to provoke him like that?"

Isaac chuckled, "Probably not, but what's done is done. He needs to be publicly embarrassed like that, or he would have eavesdropped on our entire conversation, and sending him out of the room would have been a waste of time."

Yami nodded, and accepted the chair Isaac gestured to. Settling on his own chair, his throne, Isaac asked, "Well, Pharaoh, what do you need to speak to me of that my advisor could not hear of?"

"Something very important to the both of us, Isaac. Your daughter."

Isaac paled, "Is she alright? What has happened to her?"

Yami shook his head, "She is fine. I merely wanted to inform you of my overruling of her engagement."

Isaac froze and spluttered, "What? My daughter? Engaged? To whom? When? Who dares…?

Yami sighed heavily, "I thought you would react this way."

Isaac interrupted, "Is it you?!?"

Yami went scarlet, "What? No! I was talking about your agreeing to have your daughter marry Lord Rames."

Isaac looked like he was about to explode, "WHAT?!? I did no such thing!"

Yami sighed, "You did. However, it can be argued it wasn't you, as you were under the control of the leader of this 'Clan of Anubis' at the time the document was signed."

Isaac looked stunned, "But why would the leader want my daughter to marry Rames?"

"Because this 'leader' and Rames and one and the same."

Isaac growled, "How dare he? I'm going to make him regret the day he was born!!"

"As much as I'd like that, I'm afraid you can't. Only Crystal has the power to destroy this clan, including their leader. If Rames gets any hint that we know who he really is…"

Isaac paled again, "He'll kill us both, leaving my daughter practically defenceless. He could then kill her."

Yami raised an eyebrow, "No offence, but how could our death change her hopes of winning? Or make her more prone to attack?"

Isaac sighed, "Because of a spell your mother and my wife cast just before their deaths. As long as there is someone that loves Crystal, she will be safe with that person, or in that person's home. She can be harmed, but not killed. I fear Rames has begun to suspect what my wife did, after all his attacks have failed in killing my daughter. No doubt that's why the attacks have stopped."

Yami winced slightly as Isaac said that, "Then the only thing you can do is stop her marriage to Rames."

The king suddenly moaned, "But I can not! Dear gods, how could I do this to my own daughter? And now I cannot change it! Only my overlord can!"

Yami smiled, looking quite determined, "I thought as much. And change it I shall, for Crystal's sake."

Isaac blinked, then suddenly laughed, "Of course! Forgive me, but I forgot you were my overlord! You seem like my equal at times, especially as you care for my daughter like no other man has."

Yami flushed, but Isaac didn't notice, "Anyway, I think the procedure will take about a week, give or take a few days, especially if we plan to keep this from Rames."

"Truly spoken, Yami. You're welcome as long as you like. I'll think if some lie to tell the courts abut your reason for being here."

"Alright then. Umm…Isaac?"

"Yes Yami?"

The young Pharaoh suddenly looked nervous, "Uhh...I was thinking…"

Isaac raised an eyebrow, "Yes?"

"Well, in order to ensure Crystal's safety, you said she must always be in the home of or near someone who loves her. You said there she would be safest."

Isaac gestured with his hands, "You're point being?"

Yami struggled to continue, "And…umm…my palace is probably…the safest place for…for her to be and…"

Isaac went very still, "Are you asking me for permission to marry my daughter?"

Yami went scarlet, "Well…yes."

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Yami: What? You mean I have to wait until you post chapter 16 to find out if he says yes? I'll never know!!!

Y.Ang: Yeah, but I wouldn't assume the best. Isaac likes you, but he has just got his daughter out of one engagement and here's an exert of the next chapter that I stole:

_Isaac sighed, I know you could make her happy_

_Yami sighed, "But?"_

Y.Ang: Anyway, let's leave you guys to ponder over that before she wakes up (points athikari)

Angel: (wakes up) Huh? Oh, did I finish?

Y.Ang: -...- Why else would I be talking to you?

Angel: (yawns) True. Anyway, I hope you guys don't kill me for the cliffhanger, or the shortness of this chapter, or the late updating. It's Christmas! I want to live to get my pressies!! Have a heart people!

Y.Ang: -...- This from the person who didn't buy her brothers a present

Angel: I did too! Anyway, guys, thanks for all your support so far, and I'll try to get the next chapter up within a month. But as I said before, chapter 17 hasn't been written as a draft yet, so it will take a lot longer than usual to come out. I'm so sorry.

Y.Ang: Look on the bright side! This story will probably only have about 20 chapters! Only about 5 more updates to wait forever for!

Angel: -...-Thanks for the encouragement, Ang. Anyway, merry Christmas everybody!!

C YA!! Angel


	16. New Plans and Fears

Angel: (yawns)

Y.Ang: (sighs)

Yami: (sleeping)

Kaiba: (sleeping with his eyes open while standing)

Mai: -…-

Microwave: (Beeps)

Angel: (jumps up and runs to kitchen) YAY! Chocolate cake!

Yami and Kaiba: (get startled, wake up, hit their heads on something and slide to the floor unconscious)

Y.Ang: -…-

Mai: Idiots.

Y.Ang: It's finally ready. She's had us sitting here for over 2 hours!

Mai: (yawning at computer) Yeah, hon, I know. What took so long?

Y.Ang: (sighs) Well, she put it in the oven to cook, and forgot the oven was broken. After an hour, she went to check it, and realised it hadn't cooked. Then she put it in the microwave, and didn't set it to the right temperature, so it took a lot longer than normal.

Mai: Typical. Oh well, we survived. Do I keep writing these chapters now, since Seto is currently unconscious?

Y.Ang: I suppose. You know how slow Angel is.

Mai: True. It took her long enough.

Angel: (returns with cake) YAY! Cake!

Y.Ang: -…- You already said that.

Angel: (confused) I did? Oh well. While I sort out this chapter with the help of my dear friend Mai…

Mai: I am not your dear friend, just a slightly willing muse.

Angel: -…- Anyway, here's the replies to reviews:

**RobinIV**: A Master of Cliffhangers? I like it! And thanks for your appreciation. It means a lot.

**pharoh atemu**: You're welcome for the new chapter! (hugs back) Thanks! Umm…you aren't awaiting the next chapter with any weapons…are you?

**Maistwin**: Well, that makes two of us. Thanks for your infamous saying! It seems to work, I feel obligated to update soon now…Hopefully I actually do update soon for a change…Apparently not this time though…I do try…

**Ria, the person in the shadows**: Yes, Yami does have quite a temper doesn't he? Crystal is probably good for his health then. (grins) And if you like Bakura so much, by all means take him.

Bakura: (howls in dismay) No! Anyone but her!

Angel: (whacks him over the head) That's rude! And be glad she's not someone else! And you'd better not hurt my reviewer, ok?

Bakura: (dazed)

Angel: (sighs) Anyway, I'm thinking of Chapter 17 as I write this, so hopefully it'll be out earlier than I think. So I'll try to update ASAP. Note: Try

**Victoria**: You love this? You wish you could write like me? I feel so appreciated right now! Thanks! (hugs) Well, we'll just see about Yami marrying Crystal. I think I could come up with a 'lovely twist' to this now…(grins)

**Yollandak**: Thanks. Your compliment is appreciated. I'm glad you love this story.

Angel: Thanks for all your reviews. They are such an inspiration

Y.Ang: -…- Sure sure. And that's why you take at least a month for every chapter, and at least 3 months for this one

Angel: (glares) Be quiet you. I keep having writer's block and…

Y.Ang: Stop making up excuses and get to the story! The reviewers don't review for nothing!

Angel: Fine. Next chapter should be out by roughly June/July…if I'm lucky. Sorry for the long delay, but I have severe writer's block for this story, and it doesn't seem to be improving. This chapter proves it. And I won't update at all until I get at least 10 more reviews, ok? And if I do get 10 reviews, and haven't updated by my birthday in August…well then, you can murder me, as I will not have any more inspiration if I take that long. I mean, come on, even I'm not that bad! O…O

Mai: -…- That's not a safe thing to say, Angel

Angel: (sweatdrops) Probably not, but having my life on the life tends to motivate me a lot more. And one more thing, even after chapter 17 comes out, I will only update after 10 reviews from now on, regardless of other promises. That rule stays. Anyway, just ignore my basically pointless rambling, and let's get on with the story!

Crystal: (sighs) Angel does not own YuGiOh, or Egypt. We thank Ra for that. She also does not own the 'Clan of Anubis'. Unfortunately, we forget who actually does, but it's not Angel. However, she does own Isiria, Father, Rames, Clarita, and me. I think that's everything.

Angel: You guys all know the drill with mind speech and stuff by now, so on with the chapter!

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 16: Wedding Plans and Fears

Isaac stared for a few seconds, and then suddenly roared with laughter.

After a few minutes of this, Yami began to look annoyed, "You know, I am serious. And if you wanted to say no, you could have just said so."

Isaac tried to calm down, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, "Oh, forgive me Yami. I was just surprised it took you this long to ask! And on the last day of my bet with Mai! Now all my accountants and most of my councillors owe me money! We all expected you to propose within a week! "

Yami lowered his eyes, trying to hide his flaming cheeks. "Well…umm…" he mumbled.

Isaac grinned at the Pharaoh's obvious embarrassment, "What a story this would make! The great pharaoh of Egypt, humbled by my daughter!"

Yami forced his eyes up, still blushing slightly, but feeling bolder, "I take it you won't let your daughter marry the likes of me?"

Isaac's expression turned solemn, "In truth, nothing would please me more than to see my daughter married to you. You are a good man, and you have wealth enough to make her happy. You have your palace, a safe place where she could live, surrounded by your armies and priests. You also genuinely care for my daughter. I know you could make her happy."

Yami sighed, "But?"

Isaac's eyes twinkled, "You are a perceptive man, Yami. The 'but' is that after the incident with Ishtar, I promised my daughter I'd never force her to marry anyone. I promised her she could marry for love. I have already broken that promise to her with Rames. I won't force her into an engagement again. The last thing I want is for her to be unhappy. So all I will do is give you my permission to ask her to marry you."

Yami let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding, "I expected no less. You are a devoted father, and always do what's best for your daughter. I wanted to ask her anyway. I doubt I could bear not knowing if she married me for love or because she felt she had to."

"Well then, I hope Crystal does agree, as I can see you love her very much."

Yami flushed again, "Yes, I do love her. She means everything to me. I'd rather die than see her hurt again."

"You mean the incidents with Ishtar and Rames?"

Carelessly, Yami answered, "Yes, that too."

Isaac froze, "What? Do you mean to tell me that something else has happened to my daughter?"

Yami winced, "Uhh…I was referring to the time the Chaos mage attacked her." ((AN: That seems like so long ago now. I mean, back then, I had no idea where this story was going. Look at it now! I feel proud. Anyway, please excuse the interruption. (runs away as readers, Isaac and Yami all glare at her))

Isaac narrowed his eyes, "You may have been referring to that, Yami, but I know you also meant something else. What has happened to my daughter?"

Yami sighed, "I suppose I might as well tell you, before you get too worried. By the way, she's fine. She was attacked again a few days ago." Yami then continued to tell Isaac the story of what had happened, even calming Isaac down as he described the shooting.

* * *

_(Later that week, back in Menefer, Yami's city)_

Crystal awoke with a scream for the third time in the past week, instantly bringing Seto to her side. After her first nightmare, Seto had decided to sleep in the room across the hall from hers until they stopped.

As Seto sat on the bed, he gathered the crying princess into his arms, gently soothing her. "Crystal, what is it? What happened?"

The young woman sighed, taking comfort in Seto's arms. She felt safe there, though not as much as she did whenever Yami hugged her. "Nothing, it's just a nightmare."

Seto shook his head, 'Crystal, you've got to stop bottling up everything. I've known you since we were kids, although I'd have to be blind and deaf to not know that you're frightened."

She sniffed, "You know me too well, my friend. However, it was just a nightmare."

Seto smiled softly, but pressed on, "Well, what happened in it? You look scared to death, and that scream wasn't for nothing."

She shuddered, "If you must know, I dreamt that I was in the Shadow Realm. Yam and the leader of the 'Clan of Anubis' were there. I couldn't see the leader's face though. Anyway, the leader looked at Yami and said, 'How dare you have what should be mine! How dare you take away what's mine?'"

"And then what happened?"

"Then Yami said, 'Because what I have now never belonged to you. You never even had a chance.' The leader then screamed at him, 'How dare you! You have no right! Everything you have, it should be mine!'"

Crystal shuddered again, and Seto gently squeezed her shoulders, "What did he do then?"

Crystal blurted it out, causing a fresh burst of tears, "He…he killed Yami! And I couldn't save him!"

Seto sighed, trying to comfort the distraught princess, "Shh…it was just a nightmare."

She frantically shook her head, "No! I could've sworn it really happened!"

Seto also shook his head, "Well, it hasn't. I can assure you, Pharaoh Yami is fine. He hasn't gone to challenge the leader or anything like that. He should be back soon, he could even be back tomorrow. You'll see, he's fine."

Crystal sniffed, "I hope you're right, Seto."

He smiled softly, and moved to go, but Crystal stopped him. "Seto, can you please stay? I don't want to be alone," she begged.

Seto sighed, and shifted his position slightly so that Crystal could lie down, "Alright, I'll stay."

She smiled gratefully, and settled down to sleep.

Seto sighed. It seemed that since Yami had left, or rather, since his magic had left, Rames was free to attack Crystal's mind, and terrify her with images and visions.

A few minutes later, Seto moved off the bed, and pulled up a chair to sleep in instead. As he sat down, he heard a whispered prayer to Isis punctuated by soft sobs.

He sighed, 'She loves him so much. I pray he gets home soon, and that he was successful in ending at least one of the horrors in her life.'

* * *

_(The next morning, in the Menefer throne room)_

Yami glared at his gathering councillors. He'd travelled overnight, reaching Menefer early this morning. The second he'd stepped out of his carriage, his advisors had swamped him with ideas, and things he needed to sign, and reprimands on his lateness, and failure to do things.

They had then swept him off to the throne room, where he sat on his throne, listening to them all talking and complaining over each other. More so than usual, Yami didn't really care. He was anxious to escape and see how Crystal was doing, despite the early hour.

In his daydreaming state, Yami didn't notice the secretive smile on Isis's face, as she correctly interpreted the reason for the Pharaoh's eagerness to escape.

"My lord?" she asked, her voice ringing over the other advisors voices.

He turned his gaze upon her, looking more than slightly irritated by now, "Yes, Isis?"

"I was thinking, as it is our guest's birthday tomorrow, perhaps we should have a celebration for her as well as the celebration for the goddess, Isis's feast day."

((AN: I don't know if they did have feast days for their gods or not. It may have just been random festivals or something. Well, either way, they do now. Hence the reason for Egypt being in the disclaimer…And yes, Crystal's birthday is meant to be on the same day as Isis's…(backs away from readers brandishing weapons again) Eep…sorry for interrupting…again…))

"That depends on what you had in mind for the celebrations, Isis."

"I was thinking a bal in the afternoon, with a feast for dinner for our guest, and a general celebration with a feast for lunch for Our Lady Goddess. Of course, there is also the festival in town you must attend," she said, emphasising the 'must'.

Yami scowled. "I know of my duties, Isis! You need not remind me constantly! Of course I would not offend the great goddess by not attending. How stupid do you think me? And if you're planning this ball for our guest as an excuse to try and set me up with some random girl, Isis, you'd better think again!" he said angrily.

He then slightly shifted his grip on the documents in his hand that he'd brought back with him. They contained the contract legally binding Crystal to him in marriage, but only if she wished it. Yami did not want any of his advisors, Isis in particular, to see that.

Isis then continued to push his temper, "Well, do you want to ignore the princess's birthday then?"

Yami only scowled again. Isis now had him trapped. "Of course not! That would be rude to her highness, and I do not wish her father to think I have slighted him or his family. Very well. You can organise the ball. Now if you all don't mind, court is adjourned until I feel ready to hear more complaints from you all. So, until then, good day."

Most of the advisors looked outraged as Yami left, but Isis merely smiled to herself, 'So, it seems our Pharaoh has finally fallen in love.'

Yami hurried though the palace that was his home, anxious to see the young princess. When he arrived at her quarters, the guards outside nervously informed him that the lady was still sleeping and suggested that she should not be disturbed. Impatient to see her, Yami ignored their words and strode into the room.

As he entered the room, Yami stopped short. His eyes narrowed as he recognised Seto Kaiba sitting in a chair beside Crystal's bed. He moved forward more cautiously, wondering why Kaiba was there. It didn't take his imagination long to come up with something, helped along by the fact that the two had known each other since childhood and were very good friends. Half his mind then screamed at him that he had not been expected until much later this afternoon, so he obviously was not supposed to see this.

The other half of his mind demanding answers, Yami gently shook Crystal. "Crystal? Crystal, wake up!"

Crystal opened her red-tinged eyes sleepily, and turned slightly to face her 'waker'. Her eyes then widened in shock and she shrieked.

What happened next was quite interesting. Kaiba was so startled by her scream that he fell off his chair, whereas Yami stepped backwards, got his foot tangled in the sheets hanging over the bed, and fell backwards into an unceremonious heap on the ground.

Crystal then sat up, cautiously glancing around her, being unable to see either Yami or Kaiba. "Seto?"

A groggy voice answered her from the floor to her right, "I'm here." He then proceeded to stand up slowly, "Please, Crystal, don't do that again. You almost gave me a heart attack."

Crystal sighed, unable to see Yami rising to his feet to her left, "I'm sorry. I just thought I saw Yami standing over me. It gave me quite a fright."

"Do you truly despise me so much Crystal, that my mere presence would terrify you?"

Crystal turned around slowly, her mouth forming a small 'O' of surprise. When she realised that she wasn't still dreaming, and Yami was indeed standing before her, a look of pure delight crossed her face.

She then proceeded to leap out of the bed, throw her arms around Yami, and bury her face in his shoulder, "Of course not Yami! How could you think that?"

Yami sighed, hugging her back, "Perhaps your reaction to seeing me gave me the hint?"

She flushed slightly, pulling away from him slightly, "Sorry. You just startled me. I didn't expect to see you standing over me like that."

Seto then politely cleared his throat, and the Pharaoh's face reddened considerably as he realised the princess was wearing naught more than her nightgown.

Seto then coughed to get the young girl's attention, "Umm…Crystal? Perhaps you should get dressed first?"

Crystal pulled away from Yami, also blushing considerably. "Right," she said as she grabbed her dress, and sent the page that had just moved inside to go fetch her maids. She then hurried into the connecting bathroom.

Yami shifted his weight uncomfortably, but then remembered what he'd seen when first entering the room. His features darkened slightly, but Seto didn't notice, as Yami wasn't facing him, "Well, while the princess is gone, what happened in Isiria?"

Yami whirled around, clear jealousy on his face, "First, tell me your reason for being here!"

Kaiba raised an eyebrow, then realised what Yami was talking about, and smiled, "Fear not, my Pharaoh. My reason for being here last night was only to comfort her after her nightmare, not to dishonour her. You need not be jealous. However, I thought it best to let gossips do as they would rather than see her in such pain. She was terrified, and even though I was here, she cried herself to sleep."

Yami's face changed almost instantly from jealousy to concern, "What? What happened?"

Kaiba sighed, "I can tell you later. For now, while the princess and her maids are elsewhere, and will not disturb us for some time, tell me, what happened in Isiria? Were you successful?"

Yami nodded, "Indeed I was. I was able to cancel her wedding to Rames, without his knowledge."

Kaiba smiled, looking quite relieved, "Praise the gods! That will ease Crystal's heart greatly. She will be so happy."

Yami took a deep breath, and decided he might as well tell Kaiba everything. "I hope so. I think you should look at these," he said as he handed over the documents in his hand.

Kaiba's eyes skimmed the page, expertly reading only the important details, and then they widened. Before he could say anything, Yami spoke up defiantly, "You know, I have every right to love her, and want to protect her. I hope she'll say yes. Although I have no idea how she feels, she knows how I feel about her."

Kaiba shook his head, "No, she doesn't."

Yami glared angrily, "What! Did my words have no meaning! Was her running away and the attack upon her for nothing?"

Kaiba held up his hand, invoking a calming charm, which, if I may digress, is a thing most priests of Seth probably wouldn't know. (AN: How am I supposed to know that? O…O) However, as his predecessor had, Kaiba found this charm rather useful, "Calm yourself Pharaoh. As you should know, and would remember if anger did not cloud your thoughts, Crystal has no memories of the day of her accident."

Yami froze, the calming spell effectively removing most of his anger. Kaiba, satisfied the spell had worked, (for a change), continued, "And if she does know, explain this. You left her with no knowledge of where you were going, or why. She's been all to pieces this past week, not just because of Rames constantly attacking her mind, but because she thought you had gone to secretly arrange a marriage to a princess. She's been telling herself it's for the best, because of Rames, and even feels selfish, because she knows she can't have both of you, even should she only love one. She's been naught but heartbroken."

Yami lowered his head, speaking softly, as though to himself, "She loves me? I…I had no idea. I never even believed she could love a wretch like me."

Kaiba glared, his own frustration from the past week building up inside, "Well, by every god in the sky, she does. You know that nightmare she had? She dreamt that Rames killed you. She couldn't stop shaking and was so terrified. She seemed convinced it really happened."

Yami glanced at Kaiba, "It would be just like her. I'll tell her today about Rames, but I'll wait until tomorrow to ask her for her hand in marriage. I know don't deserve her, but I promise I will do everything I can to make her happy."

Kaiba smiled gratefully, "That's all I can ask. I hope Crystal agrees."

"What should I be agreeing to?"

Both men turned to find Crystal standing in the doorway to the bathroom, her maids filing our behind her. She looked stunning, as always. She was dressed in a sleeveless blue dress with a V-shaped neckline. A simple gold belt was worn around her waist. Her hair was up for a change, twirled into an elegant bun, but with a few short waves hanging down the sides of her face.

"Well?"

Both men blinked, and then Yami spoke up, still staring at her, "Uhh…"

Kaiba restrained from rolling his eyes with extreme difficulty, "What the Pharaoh is trying to say is that we were hoping that you would agree with the cancelling of your marriage to Rames."

Crystal's eyes widened, and Yami hurriedly spoke up, "That's where I've been this past week. I was negotiating with your father. And I didn't tell you, because I wanted in to be a surprise, and I didn't want to get your hopes up."

Crystal looked absolutely delighted, "Are you both serious?" The men nodded. "Oh, Yami. Thank you so much!"

Yami flushed as she ran forward and threw her arms around him, "Umm, you're welcome."

She pulled away slightly, her eyes shining, "Oh Yami, you couldn't have gotten me a better birthday present!"

Yami decided to ignore the thoughts entering his head about his plans for tomorrow.

Kaiba smiled, also thinking about Yami's plans for tomorrow.

Yami then remembered something, and gently disentangled himself from the princess, "Crystal, you know how your birthday is the same day as the festival of Isis?"

She smiled, smoothing some of her hair away from her face, "Yes, of course I do. Why do you ask?"

"Well, my advisors and I have decided to hold a ball in your honour, in addition to the feast and celebration for the Goddess."

Crystal grinned, "They wouldn't happen to have any ulterior motives involving the eligible daughters of the kingdom now, would they?"

Yami flushed, "Possibly, but I honestly hope they don't. Anyway, Seto and I better get going. We have a long day of court ahead."

Crystal smiled, "No doubt you do. Well, I'll see you later then I suppose. Have fun today!"

Yami glowered, but Kaiba just laughed and pushed him out of the room. "That we will do your highness," he replied cheerfully.

Crystal laughed gently as the door closed, and then sat down to attend to her embroidery, that she'd been neglecting of late.

* * *

Angel: Phew! I finally finished! That took me what? 3 months? 

Y.Ang: Something along those lines, yeah.

Angel: (sighs) Well, I am very sorry this is so late, and that it's pretty bad. I hate writer's block! -…- I felt like I had to submit something, so there it is. Anyway, I must also apologise for Crystal being a little OOC.

Crystal: (glowers) yeah, you'd better not do it again either.

Angel: (sweatdrops) Umm…hehe…Anyway, nothing else of importance to say here, so:

C YA! Angel


	17. Court

Angel: Well hiya people

Y.Ang: You have no idea what you're writing for this chapter do you?

Angel: (sweatdrops) No, not really. I only started this chapter because of a review by FireGoddess101. Made me think if she's reviewing again, I probably should get a move-on. I mean, it's already May…and probably by the time I post this, July…

Y.Ang: (nods)

Angel: So, because of my devotion to my loyal reviewers, I decided to try writing this chapter, even with writer's block. And it's all completely from scratch

Y.Ang: This should be interesting……

Angel: And omg, I just re-read the first few chapters, and I swear once I finish the whole thing, I am so re-writing them. They are horrible!

Yami: Angel obviously does not own YuGiOh. If she did, let's just say this story would be written a lot faster XD

Angel: Thanks…btw, the replies to reviews will be at the end of this chapter…if I remember to put them in. XP

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 17: Court

Crystal sighed. Her beautiful blue eyes surveyed the embroidery before her with distaste, even though it was a lovely piece of work, a bouquet of roses. She actually quite liked it, but it was what she should be doing now that she was cross about.

The young heir to Isiria sighed again. Even though she loved doing her embroidery, a skill her mother had taught her, she would have rather been in court, and at the same time, she wanted to stay where she was. The reason that she wanted to be there was the same reason that she was here. She wanted, and didn't want, to see Yami.

However, she didn't particularly want to see him now. She was afraid, deep down, that he was actually looking forward to being introduced to the ladies of Egypt tomorrow. She didn't want to have to see him smile at those that would arrive today, because she knew it would break her heart…

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Yami sighed as yet another princess of marriageable age was led off by her father after being introduced to him. He really was beginning to regret the holding of this ball, even though it had only been a day or so since he agreed. (AN: Just so you know, I had to change Crystal's birthday to a few days later. Obviously, nobles have to attend this ball, and they need more than 1 day to get the message and get to Menefer --)

Seto and Isis both noticed their Pharaoh's obvious reluctance to be here, and both were amused by it. Isis turned her head towards Seto, about to inquire about the documents the Pharaoh had brought home with him, but Seto beat her to it. "Isis, for the last time, I'm not saying anything! Stop badgering me, please!"

Isis pouted, "Seto, please?"

Seto glanced at his lover, looking slightly annoyed, "No. I promised the Pharaoh I would say nothing to anyone, and that includes you."

Isis glared at him, and Seto sighed. "Isis, regardless of my love for you, I will not disobey my Pharaoh. And if he told you, you would do the same."

She scowled, but before she could whisper another remark, Yami turned his head to glare at them both. He had only found out this morning that the two were lovers, and had been quite surprised, especially by the fact that they had managed to keep it from him for so long. However, now was not the time for them to be talking. (AN: just so you know, I basically made these two be together for something to write about. Sorry if you despise this couple, but considering their similar nature, and similar attitudes to Crystal and Yami…it just seemed natural I guess…)

Isis blinked, and noticed everyone was looking at the two. Blushing she quickly turned away, and hurried to find quarters for the princess of Kyrete.

Yami's mouth turned up with the beginnings of a smile, but quickly pulled himself under control as his cousin glared at him. Feeling a laugh coming on, he coughed to cover it. Seto's glare only deepened.

Yami quickly turned his head, and motioned to the page. The youngster moved forward hesitantly. Yami lowered his head, and whispered his instructions to the young boy. He nodded, and raced off on his various errands.

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Crystal glanced up at the gentle knock on the door. A young boy's voice followed it, "My lady? Princess Crystal, are you in here?"

Crystal smiled, and called back, "Yes, I'm here. You can come in."

A nervous young page entered the room, and Crystal smiled kindly, "It's alright child. I don't bite."

He looked up apprehensively, and regarded the beauty before him, "Excuse me my lady, but my Pharaoh requests that you join him in the throne room immediately."

Crystal smiled pleasantly. "Alright then. Just let me put this embroidery away, and I'll be right there."

The boy still looked uneasy, "My lady, the Pharaoh ordered me to accompany you to the throne room."

Crystal shut the lid on her embroidery box with a snap, "He did?"

The boy winced, "Yes, my lady. I was ordered not to let you out of my sight. Except, I just remembered that I was also ordered to bring iced fruit drinks to the Pharaoh, which means I must take my lady to the kitchens. I should have gone there first, but I thought I might trip and spill them and…"

Crystal smiled again, gently cutting the boy off, "That's fine. We'll just go to the kitchens then, and I can help you carry the drinks. That way you can complete both your tasks quickly. We wouldn't want the Pharaoh upset, would we?"

The boy (AN: Who needs a name, so that I stop calling him 'the boy'…), shook his head, "No, my lady, we don't. Thank you."

"That's alright. What's your name?"

"Mark, my lady."

"Well then, Mark, I suggest we hurry down to the kitchens. Yami will be most upset if we take our time."

Mark nodded, and the pair set off.

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Yami frowned. The page should have been back by now. Perhaps the kitchens were taking too long, or perhaps Crystal was taking her time. The Pharaoh decided that the latter was far more likely.

He turned his head as the doors were opened, but they only admitted Isis, back from her errand. Looking cross, Yami resumed glaring at the door.

Isis quickly moved back to her place, and leaned over to whisper to Seto again, "What has got Yami so agitated?"

Seto frowned slightly, "I'm not sure. I think he summoned Crystal here, and he's annoyed that she's taking so long."

Isis looked intrigued, and was about to ask more, but Seto cut her off, "Quiet, someone else is here."

The Master of Ceremonies then called out in a voice still strong, regardless of his age, "The Crown Princess of Isiria, Lady Crystal!"

A look of profound relief, and something else, crossed Yami's expression. Confusion then followed as he saw her carrying the tray of drinks he'd ordered the page to get, while the page walked beside her. He frowned as she came up and placed them beside him, while Mark resumed his place against the wall.

"And why are you carrying the drinks?"

Crystal glanced up at him, not in the least bit daunted, "Because the page feared he would spill them, and because they are quite heavy for such a young child."

Yami frowned, but before he could say anything else, Crystal sharply cut him off, "And what's the idea of ordering the poor child to collect drinks from the kitchen, come all the way to my room, and then escort me back down? Either he does his duty, and risk spilling everything on the floors, or he must collect me first and drag me down to the kitchens before bringing me here. You should know better than that, Yami. It would have been far easier for us all if you had the brains to send 2 boys on the separate errands."

Yami was quite taken-aback at Crystal's tone, and merely stared. She glared at him, and then quickly strode over to stand next to Seto and Isis. _'Whatever has gotten Crystal so upset? I'd best ask her when court is over. Hopefully, that will be soon,'_ Yami thought to himself

Isis merely showed amusement at Crystal's behaviour. Crystal was often like this, as she loved discomfiting the men in the courtroom. Her father had commented ruefully on some of Crystal's more embarrassing moments when he'd been at the palace a few months earlier. However, Crystal's behaviour was quite unrelated to her delight in embarrassing other royals. Her resentment was because of her anger and jealousy towards the Egyptian princesses being introduced today.

Crystal's face turned expressionless as the next royal family was introduced. Isis turned her head and noticed Crystal's normally bright eyes were as hard as diamonds. Crystal's coldness was quickly explained upon identification of the next princess.

"The Royal Family of Selima Oasis!" (AN: Yep, it's Anzu alright)

The stately King of Selima Oasis strode up to the throne, bowing neatly. His gushing daughter followed him, and stepped into a flowing bow, her expression breathless, "Oh, my lord Yami! It is a wonderful honour to be introduced to your august personage! I do so hope that you could perhaps find time in your busy schedule to show me your wonderful palace before I must return home."

Yami blinked, and decided the safest course of action was to address the father, "King…"

Crystal tuned out at this point, her expressionless gaze glaring holes in Anzu, who was quite aware of her rival's scrutiny, and who was revelling in the fact that she would have the Pharaoh first. Anzu then turned her head slightly, and she and Crystal silently stared at each other, each subtly showing their distaste for the other.

"Lady Anzu, were I able to find time, I would be happy to show you our palace, but I regretfully cannot at the present time. I hope you understand."

Anzu was quite startled by Yami's response, as she had lost her place in the conversation during her glaring at Crystal. Thrown off balance, she could only nod gracefully and follow her father out of the room.

Isis hid a smile as she showed the royal family to their rooms. Crystal's subtle method of distracting Lady Anzu was an admirable move, and certainly entertaining. Isis had a feeling that with those two stuck in the same palace; the next few days would be very interesting indeed.

Crystal also tried hard to suppress a smile. Trained her whole life in the intrigues of court, she had often turned to subtlety to throw others off-track. She knew exactly what she could away with, and she was good at it.

Yami frowned lightly at the Isirian princess. He had a feeling Crystal had something to do with Anzu's sudden change in personality, and although he was glad for it, she should know better than to play mind-games with his guests.

Crystal casually glanced away, pretending not to notice Yami's unamused glare in her direction. She resumed her light bantering with Seto, who seemed to be quite amused by her attitude. He found it interesting that she dared to unsettle an opponent in the Pharaoh's court, and even more so, that she showed no notice of Yami's annoyance at what she had done. He hid a smile as he realised that Yami was going to have a lot of problems with telling Crystal what to do. _'He had to find the most beautiful, intelligent and independent woman to fall in love with didn't he?'_

Isis smiled at watching the young woman's antics. "Well, at least Yami's found a woman who's his equal in wits," she said softly.

Crystal then turned so quickly she appeared to get a neck cramp. Her eyes were fixed of the doors to the throne room, and Isis saw that those beautiful eyes were filled with terror…or something else. Isis then saw that Yami had also noticed Crystal's sudden movement and was gazing at her with some concern. The answer to Crystal's sudden emotion was shown as the next royal family stepped into the room. Or rather, as the king stepped into the room, as he had no immediate family. The Master of Ceremonies then called out, "Lord Ishtar, King of Syria!"

Crystal stared at her dear old friend. She knew in her heart that that terrible evil had left him once their marriage had been cancelled, but had never seen him look so bone tired in all her life. However, only someone that knew Ishtar as well as she did would see it. Her beautiful blue eyes gazed on her dear friend with a mixture of regret, sorrow and concern.

Yami noticed the way Crystal watched Ishtar, and felt his heart twinge in jealousy. Unsurprisingly, his response to Ishtar's greeting was one of irritation. "Yes, it is good to see you again King Ishtar. Priestess Isis, please show Ishtar to his chambers." Yami's tone left no room for argument, and Isis knew that his jealousy would make him tolerant to nothing but instant obedience. She then hurried to do his bidding, and spared Ishtar the Pharaoh's glaring.

Ishtar looked towards Crystal just as he was about to leave the room, his eyes full of questions. Crystal noticed, and nodded slightly, indicating she would do as Ishtar wanted. Yami grew suspicious of their behaviour, and was grateful that there were no more royals arriving until after the midday meal. He hurriedly stood, and declared that court was adjourned until then. The court murmured, stood and then hurried out of the room upon various errands. The Pharaoh strode with obvious purpose to the young Isirian princess, and therefore caught the attention of a few of the remaining vassals.

Crystal sighed, and turned her attention from the door to look at Yami. Before he could speak, she hurriedly said, "Yami, I need to do something. I'll be back later, I promise." With a quick bow, she swiftly left the room. Yami stared after her, his expression one of amazement.

Seto chuckled at seeing his cousin's face, "Yami, I could have told you that Crystal is as independent as they get. You're going to have one hell of a time telling her what to do. She'll spoil your authority by refusing, I can assure you." Seto smiled in remembrance of when the 8-year-old princess had refused to go to bed when her father ordered her to, causing a 'scene'. But Yami's attention was not on his cousin's words, but rather on what Crystal had to do so urgently.

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Crystal arrived at Ishtar's chambers quite breathless, and the page at her side gestured to the door. "Here are King Ishtar's chambers, as you requested my lady." Crystal nodded, and dismissed the page before knocking on the door. A tired voice answered her, "Come in."

Crystal gently pushed the door open, and entered the room "Ishtar?"

Ishtar, who had been sitting on his bed, jumped up in surprise at hearing her voice. "Crystal?"

Her eyes moist, she nodded, and ran forward to him, catching him off-guard in a bear hug. "Of course it's me. How could I not come after seeing you so sad and tired?"

Ishtar revelled in her warmth, but then his thoughts caught up with him and he pushed her away, "No, Crystal, you can't stay here."

"And why not?"

"Because…oh gods, you know exactly why. I can't bear the thought that I will hurt you again."

Crystal sighed, and hugged him again, "That's nonsense, and you know it. The reason you're so tired is because you finally fought that creature and won, right?"

Ishtar sighed, and drew away from her again, "As usual, you're right my lady. But still, I don't want you here."

Looking hurt, she replied, "And why not? You're my friend Ishtar."

He sighed, running his hands listlessly through his hair, "Because, you are still young enough to be betrothed again, and from palace gossip, you are almost certainly going to marry the Pharaoh. I don't want to appear too close to the future Queen of Egypt, and give the Pharaoh more cause to hate me."

Crystal flushed, "Oh Ishtar, don't be silly. Yami's not going to marry me. He has every girl in Egypt to choose from. Despite the fact that I love him…" Upon realising what she had just said, her hand flew to her mouth in shock. Ishtar merely smiled knowingly.

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Angel: Well, sorry this chapter took so long to get updated. I've had severe writer's block, and yeah. Anyways, this chapter was originally supposed to be longer, but I decided to just post this part, so you, my loyal readers/reviewers would have something to read before 2007 XD.

Replies to Reviews:

**Leneia**: Thanks for your helpful review. I like reading your reviews, they actually tell me what you think I could improve on and stuff, and it really helps. Thanks.

**Angel**: Thanks for that. Hope you enjoy the rest of the story too.

**Kendoro**: Thanks for the idea, even though I didn't really use it…..(sweatdrops) Anyways, I've discovered that reading other stories or books seems to help too, except I tend to then change all my ideas…

**Ria, the person in the shadows**: Sorry I nearly made you wait until August…that's why I had to post only this part now…so I would post something this year (sweatdrops) And yeah, Yami's just so cute like that…indeed, that's why we all love him. And thanks for the compliment.

**anonymous**: Well…I don't really know what to say to you…(sweatdrops) But thanks for reviewing anyway!

**RobinIV**: You know, Yami just might come to hate you, because you've given me a really evil idea…(plans ways to 'interfere' with Yami's proposal and grins evilly) And thanks for the compliment. 

**SeaAngel**: Thanks for the compliment, and sorry I took so long. Hopefully, school and writer's block will be kinder to me next term/chapter.

**pharoh atemu**: Thanks for pointing that out. Now, all you evil people threatening me, take heed of pharoh atemu's words, cause if you kill me, you'll never know what happens next! And thanks for the compliment, sorry I made you wait.

**FireGoddess101**: Thanks for your recital on the review cycle. It was very…informative I must say XP. And did I read/review your story? Sorry, I can't remember if I have…and thanks for your 'update' review. Sorta got me writing a little more, even though it still took ages…sorry. (sweatdrops)

**Maistwin**: LOL, thanks. I love being complimented!

**PharohAtemusQueen**: Wow, thanks for saying this is GREAT. I'm glad you like it And yeah, Yami's my favourite character too. So sexy and heroic (sighs, and Yami Ang coughs) Anyways, thanks for your compliments. Very appreciated.

**YamiServant**: Did I read/review your story? I'm so sorry if I haven't, but I will get around to it. And yeah, I suppose you can have Seto, but I will need to borrow him every now and again for my story/stories. (I hope there will one day be 'stories'…)

**SoftBallChicketa**: Thanks. Sorry it took so long though.

Angel: Wow, that was a lot of reviews…and most of them were just me thanking you for your compliments or apologising for being late...must get some new things to say to reply to reviews...but anyway, thanks for them guys! I really appreciate them all! (hugs all readers and reviewers)

Y.Ang: Now, let's all start hoping that the next chapter will be more interesting, longer, and out before December XD

C YA! Angel


	18. The Days Before

Angel: (sings happily)

Y.Ang: (walks in and stops) Dear god, the end of the world is coming! Angel has started singing! The horror!

Angel: (frowns) That's not very nice. Just because I have been extremely lazy in writing this...

Y.Ang: Yeah, you're lucky your readers haven't killed you yet. I believe you said something about December...

Angel: (coughs) Well, yes. Anyways, hello everybody! In case you're wondering why it has taken me soo long to update this time (smiles innocently), I have been playing Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel on my computer. Also, I joined a forum with roleplaying, and have been writing a story about the first roleplay we did rather than writing this story...(sweatdrops) And then school is getting more irritating. My Accounting teacher gives us way too much homework.

Y.Ang: (coughs and points)

Angel: What? (remembers story) Oh, yes, my story. Sorry, I kinda get distracted very easily...

Y.Ang: Kinda? Well, that's not how I would put it.

Angel: Well, anyways…since I have nothing of real importance to add, and don't particularly want to be killed by readers, Yami, would you do the honors?

Yami: (looks bored) Angel does not own YuGiOh. She does own certain characters and suchlike. You know the drill.

Angel: On with the story!

Oh, by the way, anyone interested in Star Wars, please join this forum: http/z10. Heart In Egypt

Chapter 18: The Days Before

Yami paced around his throne, looking thoroughly annoyed. Honestly, what could Crystal be doing that was so important? Didn't she realize he needed to talk to her? Irritated, he glanced up as his page nudged him, and noticed that Crystal had re-entered the room. However, the flush that crossed his cheeks soon evaporated into jealousy, as he noticed that Crystal had her arm through Ishtar's in a familiar manner.

Crystal and Ishtar both walked up to him, with Ishtar bowing politely, and Crystal curtseying. Yami opened his mouth to ask a question, but Crystal smoothly spoke over him, "Sorry Yami, I just had to see how Ishtar was doing after his…battle with himself."

Yami looked confused for a moment, but then realized what she meant. Ishtar smiled ruefully, "Yes, highness, I have managed to fight the darkness within, and I defeated it. Crystal was very kind to notice, and then to come and see how I was feeling. I then agreed to escort her back to your side."

Yami flushed slightly, and Crystal smiled softly. In all the months they had been friends, there were still some things Yami didn't understand about her. One of these things was the way she truly felt about him. Since their kiss several months ago, (which Crystal incidentally had forgotten) they had completely avoided the issue of romance, and had instead settled into a close friendship. But Yami had only found himself falling further for her, and would find out tomorrow night if she felt the same way.

However, Crystal had no idea about the thoughts running through Yami's head. Over the last few months, she had stopped invading people's thoughts at random, and only did it when she felt it was necessary. However, all her other powers had developed significantly; mostly due to Yami's teaching. The Isirian heir glanced curiously at the Pharaoh. "Yami, are you alright?"

Yami blinked several times as his thoughts returned to the present, and saw the princess looking at him in some concern. "What? Oh, I'm fine; just thinking. Sorry about that."

She raised an eyebrow, but decided not to press the matter further. Ishtar, sensing the source of the Pharaoh's annoyance, deftly disentangled Crystal's arm from his own, and covered the movement smoothly with a bow. "Forgive me my lord, but I am quite tired from the journey here. I would ask your permission to retire, and I hope that I might be able to speak with you later over an important matter."

Yami looked curious at that, but quickly hid it. "You may retire as you will, Ishtar. I will indeed speak with you later, and shall send a page with my summons when I have a spare moment."

Ishtar nodded, and bowed to Crystal and Yami again as he left. "Very well. Good day my lady, my lord." He then left in the direction of his quarters.

Yami looked at Crystal, who's expression was blank as she asked, "Well, my Pharaoh, how goes the greeting of all of Egypt's marriageable daughters? I don't know whether to be amused or insulted that this unnecessary celebration of my birthday is to be interpreted as an occasion for you to meet all the eligible princesses of your kingdom."

Yami flushed slightly. "It was not meant to be, but you know my advisors. Any excuse will do, especially for dear Isis. And this celebration is not unnecessary; you are my guest, and you shall be treated accordingly. It would be an extreme rudeness on my part to ignore my guest's birthday."

She looked at him, a slight smile forming on her features. "You're avoiding my question."

Yami sighed heavily, "Well, to tell you the truth, I find it most annoying. Ye gods, if I have to endure any more simpering, I think I'll go mad!"

Crystal only smiled further, "Oh yes, it must be difficult to be a good-looking, bachelor king."

Yami frowned at her, "That wasn't funny in the slightest."

She tried to stop smiling, and just barely managed to look contrite, "My apologies, Yami. I understand how frustrating this must be; females tend to be more annoying when courting than males. Especially when such courting is done clumsily. But still, aren't you enjoying having so much female attention lavished upon you?"

Yami didn't answer straight away. How could he enjoy it, when the only female he wanted was standing before him; the only one who seemed to not want to marry him? "In truth, I find it excessively annoying and boring. Why do you ask? Surely you do not want to join the list of admirers?"

The Isirian princess blushed, "Nothing of the sort! I just wanted to know your opinion. I'm not a male, so I just wanted to know how men would react to having so many females flirting with them."

"In truth, I think most men would be using it to their full advantage, and spending the rest of their time making sure their wives did not find out," he replied dryly. "I personally find such chattering in such large doses to be highly irritating and to be avoided at all costs."

She grinned teasingly, "Surely not all females irritate you in such a way! Perhaps if there were fewer of them, you might find your feeling would change."

Yami looked at her with suspicion in his eyes, realising he was being baited. '_There's more than one way to trap someone'_, he thought in amusement. "You've been chatting to Isis, haven't you? Anyway, perhaps if there was only one of them, I indeed might find it more enjoyable," he said with a sly smile as he looked at her.

The princess flushed, and looked away for a moment. Over the last few weeks, Yami had been growing steadily more flirtatious, but she was unsure if he meant it in a friendly way or not...if it meant more.

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Mana, who was watching the two from some distance away, sighed and shook her head. "You know, for such an intelligent woman, she can be incredibly stupid at times," she remarked calmly to her companion.

Mahaado nodded, and his green eyes flickered back to the royal couple. "Perhaps it is because that with so many arranged marriages, the young people of Egypt know not what love is."

Mana rolled her eyes, "Oh please. She knows; she just chooses to ignore what's right in front of her eyes. Honestly, stop thinking up excuses for them both!"

He looked down at his smaller love, and smiled. "Just be glad I don't ignore what is right in front of my eyes."

Mana flushed and looked away in a similar manner to the way Crystal had just reacted. Smiling to himself, Mahaado once again turned his eyes to the two young royals as court officially began again.

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Sometime later that afternoon, just before nightfall, King Ishtar was summoned to the Pharaoh's private gardens. He arrived to find the Pharaoh pacing in front of the central fountain. "My lord?"

Yami jumped slightly, but relaxed as he noticed Ishtar. "Ah, Ishtar. Good to see you again."

Ishtar merely looked amused, "Is it truly? Or was the jealous expression on your face when you greeted me for someone else?"

Yami barely managed not to blush at that. "And what if I were jealous?"

Ishtar didn't look at all fazed. "I wouldn't hold it against you. I suppose you have called me here to see whether or not I am a threat to your courtship of Princess Crystal?"

Yami nodded, looking slightly embarrassed. "Well, yes."

Ishtar shook his head, still looking amused. "I had thought as much. However, my Pharaoh, ease your heart. I have no desire to marry Crystal, and would only do so if the man she truly loved deserted her."

"You mean...?"

"What I mean is that if you go against your feelings and do not marry her, I will; rather than see her devastated and alone."

Yami watched Ishtar in suspicion. "Are you saying..."

Ishtar interrupted him. "I am saying that you had better do the right thing and marry her, rather than break her heart. And don't lie to me and say you don't plan to marry her. I spoke briefly with Priestess Isis when I arrived here. And rest assured, my lord, she will say yes. I can see that she truly does love you."

Yami looked at Ishtar, hope dawning in his eyes. "Do you truly think so?"

Ishtar laughed at the Pharaoh's expression. "Oh, that I do. If the two of you weren't so blind, you'd see it too. Now, I understand you have a few last-minute preparations for tomorrow. I'll leave you to it."

Yami could not keep the smile from his face, and nodded a polite goodbye to Ishtar before running off. Ishtar chuckled to himself and then left for his apartments.

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Late the next morning, Crystal woke up with a large yawn. Sitting up slowly, she was just about to get out of bed when her maids ran over to her. Crystal was quite startled by their sudden actions, and got out of bed to pull a thin silk robe over her nightgown. She soon saw the reason for the flurry of activity when one of the palace serving girls moved to her bedside, shyly offering a tray of fruits and suchlike for breakfast.

Crystal stared at the tray in some surprise, and sat down again. The servant immediately became worried. "Does your breakfast not please you, my lady?"

Crystal looked at the girl, shaking her head. "On no, it looks wonderful. I was merely surprised by it. Not to be rude, but who arranged this?"

The girl curtsied neatly, somehow managing to do so whilst still carrying the tray. "My lord Pharaoh requested that a special private breakfast be prepared for you on your birthday, my lady," she said softly.

Crystal smiled kindly at her. "Well, convey my thanks to the kitchen staff: it looks delicious. Thank you for bringing it to me."

The girl smiled shyly, and curtsied again. "I am glad that my lady is pleased," she said happily before leaving the room.

Crystal then sighed to herself, and dug into her breakfast. After some time had passed, enough time for Crystal to eat most of the food, someone knocked on her door. The moment her maid opened the door, two children ran into the room. A second maid quickly rescued the tray of food just before the Princess was 'attacked' by the two young boys.

Crystal stared at the two in delight. "Mokuba! Yugi! What are you two doing here?"

The young prince beamed up at her. "We wanted to say happy birthday to you!" he said happily.

Mokuba also grinned at her. "Seto said we should leave you alone, in case you weren't decent or something, but we thought it would be alright if your maids opened the door, and they did! So we came to see you."

Crystal smiled happily. "Well, I'm delighted to see you both! I've missed you."

Both boys nodded. "We missed you too," they chimed. Yugi then spoke up, "We haven't seen you for ages!"

She sighed. "I know little ones. I've been busy, and so have you with all your lessons."

Both boys immediately made a face at that, and Crystal laughed. "Alright! If you like, you can help me finish my breakfast. Then we can go find your brothers, alright?"

The boys grinned, and dug into her breakfast while she chuckled at their eagerness. After sending them out of her room for a while so she could get dressed, the three then made their way down to the throne room.

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Angel: Ok, originally this chapter was supposed to be longer, but I've made you poor readers wait long enough. Therefore it has been split into two chapters. By the way, there should only be about 3-4 more chapters of this story (unless I have an incredibly brilliant idea to add to the plot), and I promise I'll try to write them faster this year. To all of you who review, your patience and support is greatly appreciated.

C YA! Angel


	19. A Birthday Celebration

Angel: Ok, even though I only got about 3 reviews on the last chapter, I suppose I did deserve it with the incredible lateness of my updating. Once again, I plead forgiveness, but for those that did review, your support is greatly appreciated. And for those who are reading this, thanks for not deserting me after my editing spree...(looks guilty)

Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh. However, I do own Crystal, Isaac, Rames, Clarita, Isiria, and any of my other OC characters or places.

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 19: A Birthday Celebration

Shortly after leaving Crystal's chambers, the small group of three arrived at the throne room. Crystal glanced at the huge doors in some apprehension, and Yugi glanced up at her in slight curiosity. "Crystal, what's wrong? We need to go inside!"

Crystal blinked, and looked down at the eager little Prince. "Nothing Yugi dear, just thinking," she said quietly. Yugi and Mokuba looked at each other in slight confusion, but both shrugged before turning to open the doors. The guards standing outside smiled, and subtly helped the two young boys open the doors, as they were too heavy for the youngsters to move on their own.

Since formal court had not started yet, the Master of Ceremonies did not cry out the names of those entering. Mokuba and Yugi, both holding one of the princess's hands, then led Crystal inside.

Sitting on the throne was Yami, who was currently arguing with Isis about something. But when they heard the doors open, both went quiet to see who it was. Upon seeing Crystal, Isis gave the matter up as lost, as the Pharaoh was unlikely to concentrate on their argument and would instead focus on the Isirian beauty. But she still smiled at the young princess as she approached the throne.

Yami stared at Crystal as she approached the throne. Her hair was out, trailing down her back in golden waves, but was kept out of her face by a small tiara of silver placed delicately on her head. Her dress was a deep sky blue colour, covered in glitter, and seemed to shimmer as the sunlight caught on it when she moved. Pieces of paler blue chiffon trailed from the front and back of each shoulder almost down to the ground. The sleeves of the dress were the width of the chiffon pieces, and comfortably rested on her shoulders.

Yami continued staring until she went to bow to him, which jolted him back into the present. "Crystal, there is no need for you to bow to me," he said hastily, moving forward to catch her shoulders to prevent her actions.

She straightened, and looked at him in some confusion. "I see no reason why there is no need," she said quietly, a soft smile forming on her features. This conversation was practically a morning ritual, and happened exactly the same way almost everyday.

"Because you are a dear friend, and I have been telling you that there is no need to bow to me for that reason alone for weeks now. And also, it is your birthday today," he replied gently as he released her shoulders.

She laughed, and bowed again (for the sole purpose of annoying him). "Anyway, good morning to you, my Pharaoh," she said calmly, a slight twinkling in her eyes. He sighed heavily, and nodded his head at her in return. "And a good morning to you also, my lady," he said with a slight frown and another sigh. "Crystal, why do you persist in ruining a good day with unnecessary formalities?"

She shrugged, and smiled. "Perhaps I find it entertaining, Yami. And I could be far worse if you preferred," she said with a teasing grin. Yami, remembering how formal she could actually get (she could even affect that annoying pompous voice when she was in a really good mood), raised an eyebrow. "I don't think we need another display of that," he said hastily.

"Anyway, ignoring your persistent urge to torment me in cruel and unusual ways, I'd like to wish you a happy birthday."

Isis nodded their agreement at that. "Yes, I hope you have a wonderful day today Crystal," Isis said warmly.

Yami then sighed. "Oh yes, I hope you enjoyed the gift I gave you yesterday. Unfortunately, you won't get the other half of your present until later."

She beamed at the Pharaoh, and impulsively hugged him. "Thank you Yami. And you don't have to get me anything, you've already done so much for me," she said, hoping he would assume that she was only referring to the breaking of her engagement.

Yami was startled at her reaction, but he still hugged her back. Moments like this, when she showed affection towards him, always left him feeling happy and now, hopeful. He reluctantly drew away from her when he realised Isis, Yugi and Mokuba were right there. "Nonsense, you are a guest and dear friend. You deserve an actual present on your birthday."

She smiled again, and Yami felt his heart skip a beat. It never ceased to amaze him how she could make him act this way, even after several months of being around her. "Well, I look forward to finding out what it is!" she said happily, her eyes sparkling. She then turned to chat to Isis, ignoring the sniggers of the young boys standing slightly behind her. However, Yami noticed them, and fixed both Mokuba and Yugi with a stern look, which made them both attempt to look innocent.

The two young boys were saved from further punishment as the golden doors opened again, this time revealing Seto Kaiba. Mokuba ran across the throne room to hug his brother, the enthusiastic young Prince Yugi at his heels. Seto smiled at his younger brother and his friend, but pried himself from Mokuba's grip and continued towards the throne. Once there, he bowed to the Pharaoh, his robes swishing out behind him as he did so. "Good morning my Pharaoh," he said politely.

Yami inclined his head at the gesture, and turned slightly to tap Crystal on the shoulder. The young Isirian princess turned away from her conversation with Isis, saw Seto, and gave another brilliant smile.

Seto smiled back at her, though his smile was far less expressive. "Good morning to you as well my lady."

Crystal continued grinning and moved forward, hugging Seto too. "Oh, stop being such a stuffy prig. Formal court hasn't even started yet, and your attitude is giving me a headache," she said happily before pulling away.

Seto smiled at her words. "I cannot help my nature, my lady. It is who I am." The princess rolled her eyes at that, and Isis, Yami and Seto all laughed at her reaction.

"This sounds rather familiar, Crystal," Yami said with another chuckle.

Crystal's response was to glare at him, causing the young Pharaoh to mock-cower behind his hands. Her glare deepened, and Seto chuckled as he leaned over to whisper in Isis's ear. "Married life for those two would be interesting to say the least," he whispered, earning a soft chuckle from his lover.

"Indeed it would be. Yami would be over-run within a week. One thing's for sure, his trouble-making days would be over. She'd get her own way in the end," she commented, eyes sparkling as she watched the royal pair arguing – well, Crystal was glaring and arguing, and Yami was pretending to be afraid of her.

Seto sighed. "Another thing I know: Crystal is one of the only people I'm afraid of. I wouldn't want to get on her bad side. Yami is in for an interesting ride, as he'll be sure to annoy her often."

Isis chuckled at the image, but went quiet as Crystal turned to look at her; her blue eyes narrowing. Seto then coughed. "Well, anyway, ignoring the persistent need for our young royal couple to bicker and annoy each other..." he said as both royals turned red, "But happy birthday, Crystal. We all hope you have a wonderful day," he continued.

Crystal decided to ignore his earlier comment, and smiled happily. "Well, thank you to you all then. I'm sure today will be good – well, for me it will be. Yami still has to sit through formal court with no excuse to get out of it," she said with another grin at the Pharaoh.

"Ugh, don't remind me," Yami said crossly as he rolled his eyes.

Crystal then glanced behind her. "Speaking of which, I should really get these two out of here so you three can have a fun-filled morning on your own," she said as she placed her hands on Yugi's and Mokuba's shoulders.

Yami glared at her. "Any excuse will do with you," he said, trying to sound annoyed, but he couldn't hide his smile.

Crystal beamed at him, nodded goodbye to the two advisors, and smiled again at Yami as she quickly moved off with the two young royals.

Seto and Isis took one look at each other after that exchange and burst out laughing. Yami rounded on them, an annoyed look on his face. "And just what do you two find so amusing?" he snapped.

Seto just continued laughing. "My Pharaoh, you are in for an interesting marriage," was all he could say before laughter overtook him again. Yami just raised an eyebrow at the pair, and ignored them, sitting on his throne in a dignified silence.

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A few hours later, Yami and his retainers had finished discussing the matters regarding Egypt's financial status and such related matters, and Egypt's royalty were now milling about the throne room in preparation for the feast about to be held in celebration of the festival of Isis.

Crystal, who had retreated to the library with the two young Princes to read some fantasy stories to them, had returned and was currently warning Mokuba and Yugi to stay away from the food they had been eyeing. Pouting, they obeyed and stayed by her side as various nobles passed by her, nodding politely in greeting but saying little else.

Fortunately for the two hungry Princes, Yami soon stood and declared that the feast should begin. The celebration started in earnest then, with several entertainment delegations from various cities around Egypt performing for the Pharaoh and his noble guests. The guests spent their time watching the performers, eating, and chatting to one another.

About halfway into the afternoon, the High Priestess of Isis entered the throne room with some of her acolytes. The group then performed the ritual to give thanks to the Goddess for all she had done for Egypt, and to ask for her continuing co-operation throughout the coming year. All the attending nobles remained respectfully silent during the ritual, but after the priestess left, the celebrations resumed as before; the throne room buzzing with talk.

Crystal noticed in amusement that Yami looked rather bored at the whole thing, because the only people that dared to talk to him were merely trying to get on his good side and spent the whole conversation flattering him. Deciding to ignore the amount of gossip that would arise from her actions, she walked over to the Pharaoh. "So, Yami, has the great Pharaoh achieved any new great things this afternoon?" she asked with a teasing grin, referring to the flatterers that had congregated around him earlier.

Yami noticed a small group of older noblewomen out of the corner of his eye twittering to each other about the Princess's relationship with the Pharaoh. Rolling his eyes, he then looked at the Princess. "The only remarkable feat I've achieved this afternoon is that I haven't yet died of boredom," he replied dryly. "The ritual to Isis non-withstanding of course," he said hastily.

Crystal smiled. "Worry not; I'm sure the Goddess knew what you meant. And you are right, that is a remarkable feat. Maybe all the fawning kept you awake?"

Yami glared at her, but the smile remained on her face. "On the contrary, it was what made me the most bored. I swear I nearly fell asleep during King Sion's monologue to me earlier."

Crystal smiled sympathetically. "Sion does tend to ramble on at times, but he is a good man. At least the worst is over."

"Far from it. I still have to endure your birthday celebrations also," he said crossly before suddenly realizing the error in his words. "Uhh...that is, not that your birthday is a bad thing or anything," he said hastily.

Crystal's eyes twinkled, but she still pretended to be hurt. "Oh my Pharaoh, how could you say such a thing?" she said in mock pain; one hand to her heart, the other on her forehead in a dramatic pose.

Yami pretended to be alarmed at her words. "Oh my lady, I never meant to wound you in any way. Would you accept my apologies for my thoughtless, heartless words?"

Crystal grinned. "Well, when you ask like that, I suppose I have to forgive you. But I still think you should work for it a bit," she said, a teasing smile crossing her lips.

Yami raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I'm not sure if I like the sound of that," he said, chuckling nervously.

Crystal grinned. "No need to start sweating Yami, I was only teasing."

Isis, who had just wandered over to the throne, cleared her throat. Yami was expected to ride through the streets to show his devotion to the goddess to the people, and he was supposed to leave now.

Crystal sighed sadly as Yami prepared to leave. She wanted to go to, and didn't feel like being cooped up in the palace on her birthday, even if the dull part of the day was over. However, to her delight, Yami insisted that she come along too. Isis scowled at this, but Seto calmed her down before the royal couple left.

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Crystal flicked her hair out of her eyes as she steadied herself on the chariot. Yami chose how to travel whenever he paraded through the city. Today he decided to use the chariot, and Crystal was standing besides him. Many Egyptians knew that the Isirian princess had been staying with the Pharaoh for a few months and they cheered loudly as they saw her. They had all heard stories of her generous nature from their Isirian friends or relatives, and had heard that she was truly a kind young woman. Also, since she had arrived at the palace, taxes had gone down, and their Pharaoh had become a more just and kinder ruler himself.

The gossips of the city, mainly the merchants and noblemen's wives, had also spread the news that the young princess was expected to become the next Queen of Egypt. Knowing the effect she already appeared to have on their Pharaoh, this only made the people cheer louder.

The young Isirian Princess blushed as a few of the more bold young male merchants waved energetically at her, and several also blew kisses in her direction. Yami frowned at this behaviour, but his expression turned to a smile as Crystal turned to look back at him.

However, all too soon in Crystal's opinion, the ride through the city was over. Crystal felt a slight pout coming on as Yami extended his hand to help her down from the chariot, but the pout changed to a smile as she gracefully jumped down.

Yami then cleared his throat, looking slightly self-conscious. "Crystal, I was wondering if you would perhaps accompany me to the gardens?"

Crystal glanced over at her friend. "Of course. I'm surprised you have to ask. I'd much rather spend time with you than all those stuffy nobles in there," she said with a bright smile.

Her expression only caused Yami to feel more nervous, but he still held his arm out to her. Smiling, she slipped her arm through his and he led her to the fountain at the centre of his labyrinth.

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Yami sighed to himself as Crystal sat down on the fountain's edge, and starting pacing slightly. Crystal frowned to herself as she watched him pace. "Yami, what is wrong? You seem nervous."

The Pharaoh sighed again, and came to a halt in front of the beautiful princess. "Crystal, you know that I would do anything for you, don't you?" he asked finally, after hesitating for several moments.

She seemed surprised at his question. "Of course I do. You are one of my dearest friends, and I know I can turn to you whenever I need to."

Yami ran his fingers nervously through his hair before moving to sit down beside her. "What if I wanted more than that? What if I wanted to be more than just your dear friend?" he asked seriously, his expression almost hopeful.

Crystal froze, her eyes wide, but was stopped from commenting as Yami placed a finger on her lips. "Please, let me finish. Crystal, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever known. You are also incredibly intelligent and talented. My life was empty until you entered it, and I have never been as happy in my life as I have been these last few months with you by my side. I do not want the happiness I feel to end; I do not want to lose you," he said before sliding off the fountain so that he was kneeling in front of her.

"Crystal, I met with your father last week not only to end your engagement, but to enable me to achieve the thing I want most in the entire world," he said before laughing. "Forgive me, I ramble. Crystal, will you marry me?"

Crystal blinked rapidly at the Pharaoh. Whatever she had expected him to say, it had not been this. "Yami...I...I don't know what to say," she said, still looking at him in a state of shock. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought he would actually propose to her.

Yami seemed slightly startled at the honesty in her words, and sensed she was just confused. He stood up and sat down next to her again. "Crystal, please think this over before you reply. Do not feel pressured to accept – you might grow to resent your decision. And I would not treasure any moment in your company that did not bring you joy."

At his words, she seemed to wake up slightly. "No, Yami, I am just quite startled. I just...I wasn't expecting this."

Yami sighed, and took her hands in his. "I know, Crystal. That is because you do not remember the day in which I first told you I loved you."

She stared at him, her expression showing shock once more. "What...?"

Yami sighed, and looked into her eyes. "The day you were injured – before I left to see your father. I asked you to come down to the garden, and I eventually told you I loved you. In return, you kissed me."

Her hand flew to her mouth at this, but Yami continued. "You fled the palace to return home, presumably fearing the consequences of your actions as you were still engaged at the time. On your journey, you were attacked. The fall from your horse gave you amnesia, so you remember little about the day. After seeing the pain you had felt at revealing your feelings, Mana told me not to tell you what had happened. She told me that you would honour your engagement no matter what, and that I should not make it more difficult for you to bear."

He then took a deep breath. "She told me that she did not want to see you suffer because of me. She told me that you loved me. I wanted to talk to you after the attack, but was too afraid of losing you to speak my mind. But now that your engagement is broken, I am free to tell you my feelings." He watched her, and felt a slight desperation when she did not answer for several seconds. "Please say something," he said softly, a trace of his fear creeping into his voice.

Crystal blushed. "Sorry. I do not mean to worry you – this is just so much to think about."

Yami squeezed her hands. "Well, tell me what is on your mind. I promise I will not be hurt by your words, and will listen as a friend would. On this you have my word. Do not spare my feelings in this matter," he said seriously.

Crystal sighed and looked away. She hesitated for several moments before speaking. "Yami...it is true what Mana told you. For a long time now, I have been in love with you," she said at last, seeming to weigh her words carefully. "At first it was just a girlish crush, but lately it has developed into something far more and far stronger. You treat me so wonderfully, and make me feel so special and wanted everyday, even just as my friend. Like you, I do not want that to end. I do not want to leave your side. Especially as you have just proved the strength of your devotion to me – you put yourself through months of silence, not speaking of your own feelings, in order to spare me pain."

She then smiled. "Oh, I'm as bad as you. I feel the need to put things so eloquently, but just can't find the right words. Simplicity will have to do," she said before smiling radiantly in the way that Yami loved. "Yami, you make me the happiest woman alive when I'm around you, and I love you. Of course I'll marry you!" she said before throwing her arms around him and kissing him.

Yami seemed slightly taken aback by the suddenness of her actions, but quickly lost himself in her kiss. Unlike the first kiss they had shared, this one had no desperation in it. Her kiss was sweet, and he didn't want to break away. She spoke volumes about her love for him, and he answered. Yami then broke away and laughed as he thought about what he had just 'thought'. It sounded even cornier than his earlier speech. Crystal looked at him questioningly, and he sheepishly explained what was on his mind, causing her to laugh too before she kissed him again.

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A woman's angry scream was heard, suddenly followed by a loud smashing noise. Sighing heavily, Rames returned his quill to his ink bottle, and moved across the hall to his quarters.

Once inside, he neatly stepped around the smashed pieces of his best crystal ball and moved over to the bed to soothe his irate lover. "Clarita, what cause do you have to smash my best crystal ball?" he asked, sounding rather irritated.

The look she gave him was one of pure fury. "Look back into the past and see for yourself!" she seethed, shaking with fury.

Rames sighed. "I'd rather not right now my darling. The King has been most irritable regarding magic use by his higher-ranked servants and I cannot be found out. As it is, I may have to leave soon anyway. Why don't you just tell me?"

She glared at him, her black hair twisting about her head. "The Pharaoh just proposed to our dear darling Princess Crystal," she snarled.

Rames stared at her, before letting out a crow of triumph. She glared at him, her green eyes narrowing. "Why on Earth are you HAPPY about this?" she screamed. "Our plans are ruined now you fool!" she shouted, hurling his second-best scrying crystal at the wall. She turned away from him in sheer anger.

Rames sighed, his left hand fiddling with his dagger. "Don't be so sure about that," he whispered menacingly. Clarita's eyes narrowed at this, but before she could turn around, the dagger's hilt slammed into the back of her head, knocking her unconscious.

Rames's eyes glinted as he stared at his lover. "You fool; you have no idea of my plans. You were a useful tool to keep the pretty Princess from discovering my real goal. Your clumsy attempts to kill her kept her from realizing the truth. And now, my plans are complete. I have no more use for you," he said coldly, moving away from her as she slumped to the ground. He then called for his guards to take her away and kill her somewhere discreet.

A self-satisfied smirk then crossed his lips as he dwelt on Clarita's earlier words. "At last, I have won. Let the pathetic Pharaoh have his pretty bride. And there is no longer any annoying relatives to destroy my plans," he said, eyes darkening as he recalled the actions of the previous Pharaoh. He had been very clever, and had nearly caused Rames to lose the war. But no-one knew about the old Pharaoh's cunning plan, and thus could not learn from it. There was no way he could lose now. The events just set in motion had removed the last barrier to his plans. "What the Tomb Robber destroyed has at last been repaired."

"I have won."

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Angel: Bum bum bum! I am so excited! I finally finished the chapter:D And its finally approaching the end now folks! But what is that nasty Rames up to? How can Yami marrying Crystal _help_ his plans succeed? Sorry, but you won't find out until next time!

Also, apologies if the last few sections are a little bad – I just finished them today, and am too lazy to edit. I may go back and edit them later. Actually, this whole chapter might need an edit. Anyway, for now, I decided to reward my beloved reviewers with at least something no matter how good/bad it may be, lol

C YA! Angel


	20. The Announcement

Angel: (happily settles back into her computer chair, smirking)

Yami: ...this can't be good. What's up with her?

Y.Ang: (sighs) She has her summer holidays now, and just got back from a week's vacation at the beach. So she has about two months of no school in which to write (if she wasn't so lazy).

Angel: (grins happily)

Yami: (eyes widen) Oh dear god...I'm doomed.

Y.Ang: (dryly) You ain't seen nothing yet. You haven't seen her plan for the last two chapters...trust me, that's going to be far worse. Especially the Rames revelation (winces) It's gonna suck being you.

Yami: (sweatdrops) Thank you for your inspiring and calming words (sarcastically)

Crystal: (also winces) Sarcasm that may be Yami, but it's REALLY going to suck being you. You really don't want to know what she has planned for you in this story. It's almost as bad as what she does to me (glares)

Angel: (stops smiling and frowns) Hey, I can understand Ang knowing what I plan to do because 'our minds are connected' and all, but how do you know?

Crystal: (shrugs) I'm just so awesome that I know all.

Yami: (pauses, and then starts shaking her) WHAT HAPPPENS TO MEEE??

Crystal: (slaps him) I'm not telling! Now be quiet so this chapter can be started, and Angel stops typing up these stupid author's notes!

Yami: (is unconscious)

Angel: (sweatdrops and shakes head) Lover's quarrels...(hastily looks away as Crystal glares at her) Dear god, this girl's got a scarier glare than I do! O...O

Crystal: (grins)

Angel: (coughs) Anyway...Ang, do the disclaimer.

Ang: (sighs) Angel does not own YuGiOh. She does own various things in relation to this story, but that's about it. Enjoy!

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 20: The Announcement

Completely unaware of Rames's evil plans, the young royal couple returned to the throne room after a member of the Royal Guard came to say that the Pharaoh was requested in the throne room. Yami was unable to keep the smile off his face, and was positively grinning, whereas Crystal managed to maintain at least some decorum. They entered through the golden doors, and Yami reluctantly removed his arm from around her waist. Crystal then moved off to find her friends, and Yami moved to the throne.

Seto instantly appeared at his side. "So, did you ask her?" he asked immediately, and Isis appeared at his elbow as though the words had been a summoning charm.

Yami grinned. "Ask who what?"

Isis barely smothered her shriek of delight, and Seto outright grinned. "Obviously you did, and by that grin on your face, she said yes," he said, before Isis disappeared to make a beeline towards Crystal. He smiled as he watched her, and then turned back to Yami. "So, when should I make the announcement? Or are you going to?" he asked.

Yami was unable to take the grin off his face. "Whenever you want. And yes, you can announce it if you wish," he said before hearing Isis shriek with happiness again, and the two cousins turned to watch in some amusement as Isis hugged Crystal, whereas Crystal's friends merely looked bewildered. Seto's attention was then drawn to Crystal's hand as something glittered there. "Holy Ra Pharaoh, did you make her ring big enough? It's a miracle she didn't blind half the room when she walked in!" he said in a half-teasing manner. He was just happy that his cousin and old friend had finally admitted their feelings for each other.

Yami frowned lightly at that. "Well, I know Crystal loves jewellery, and I wanted to make it something special..." he mumbled, before lighting up again as Crystal glanced over at him.

Mahaado suddenly appeared at his side, looking somewhat breathless. "What has happened, my Pharaoh?" he asked, slightly surprised at the sheer delight on Yami's face.

However, before Yami could answer, Mana appeared next to Crystal, saw her ring, and shrieked happily before near tackling the Isirian heiress. Yami pointed at the Dark Magician Girl. "That," he said dryly.

Mahaado raised an eyebrow at his lover's antics, but then noticed the ring. "Oh, so you finally asked the Lady Crystal to marry you, my Lord? About time. Mana has been badgering me for weeks to get you to ask her," he said, sounding somewhat grumpy.

Yami's eyes twinkled. "Judging by your expression earlier, I'd say she made it up to you," he said before grinning outright at the blush forming on his friend's face. "Seto, whenever you're ready," he said with another grin.

Seto sighed and beckoned Isis over before gesturing to the Master of Ceremonies, who used his powerful, well-trained voice to announce to the crowd that Pharaoh had something to say. Yami then stood up, his cape flying out behind him. "Priest Seto has an important announcement to make on my behalf," he said simply before sitting down again, and Seto stepped forward, clearing his throat. "It is my pleasure to announce to the court of Egypt the engagement of our Pharaoh to Princess Crystal of Isiria. May the gods smile down on this couple, and shower them with wealth, happiness, and good fortune throughout their married life," he said with a smile. Normally Isaac, as the father of the bride, would announce the engagement, but he would not be here until tomorrow as he had to oversee the celebrations in his own city for Isis before coming to see his daughter. And Seto knew Yami didn't want to wait that long to make the engagement public.

The reaction to this news was rather interesting. Several young women gasped or screamed in shock, and several young men were equally angered by the news, but all these reactions was covered by the storm of clapping that filled the throne room. It was tradition to applaud the couple to congratulate them, but Crystal had never heard such loud applause. She moved over to the throne to stand beside her fiancée, and Yami took her hand in his and kissed her cheek, which caused an outbreak of cheers and more applause. Crystal blushed and pulled away slightly, but Yami remained grinning.

After the applause died down, Yami called out to the crowd. "Well, let the festivities continue!" The crowd cheered once more, and the buzz of conversation returned to the room.

Crystal remained by the throne, now surrounded by Yami, Mana, Mahaado, Isis and Seto. "Well, that was interesting," she said at last before turning to Yami. "I only wish my father had been here to make the announcement, or at least know about it beforehand. I know you had his approval, but I would prefer he found out from me rather than street gossip," she said with a soft sigh.

Yami frowned in thought, and Mahaado stepped forward. "My lady, I might be able to help with that. I was looking through some spell books a few days ago, and found a simple communication charm that enables someone to see and communicate with someone else in a completely different place. Mana and I have been studying this spell, and I believe I have mastered it. I was going to perform the spell for you to let you speak to your father for your birthday present anyway, so I suppose you may as well use it now."

Crystal beamed. "Oh, thank you Mahaado. That is so thoughtful of you," she said before hugging the startled mage. "How does it work?"

Mahaado sighed. "It's a long process my lady. Basically, the spell creates a small cloud of magic in which you can both see and talk with whomever you desire. However, I advise that you use it later in private, so that curious nobles do not overhear your conversation."

Crystal nodded. "I agree with you. We'll have to wait a while though, because Father will probably want to talk to Yami, and our almighty Pharaoh will be unable to leave for some time," she said with a grin at Yami.

Yami scowled at her. "Well, it's your birthday, so you're not allowed to leave either," he said before grinning back at her.

Crystal sighed and poked her tongue out at him before returning to her friends, who all started jumping up and down and shrieking in delight.

"I can't believe it! You snagged the Pharaoh?!"

"This is so not fair! You always get the best guys!"

"Just because no guy in their right mind would go for you doesn't mean you can tease Crystal."

"Hey! And I wasn't whining – I am happy for her. Crystal, you're so lucky!"

"Aww, our little Princess is growing up"

"Saria, future Queen of Egypt or not, I will slap you if you continue that false crying"

"Sorry. But, by Ra, the Pharaoh! How do you get so lucky?"

It was about this point that Yami completely tuned out the girls, particularly as they were slowly moving away from the throne.

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It was a few hours later that Crystal was returning to her quarters to remove her ceremonial jewellery and such before going to the gardens to speak with her father. She was going to speak to her father, and then go down to dinner. Yami was going to come meet her at her quarters in a few minutes. Sighing, she rounded the corner to the corridor of her quarters, and the guards outside snapped to attention as she passed them. The young Isirian heiress smiled briefly at the guards before stepping inside.

Once inside her room she moved to her desk and pulled out one of her jewellery boxes. She pulled off her formal tiara, necklace, bracelets and earrings, and settled for a much simpler setting of elegant yet plain dangling gold earrings, no necklace, and one gold bracelet. Crystal then sighed and brushed her hair back from her face as she fitted the simple circlet of gold onto her head – enough to keep her hair back from her face.

The Isirian princess then heard the door open, and paused in brushing her hair, assuming it to be Yami. She placed the brush on the vanity desk, and stood up before she turned around, and thus didn't recognise the person until it was almost too late.

The heiress of Selima Oasis, Princess Anzu was scowling at her, her brown hair curling about a decidedly less pretty expression. "How dare you?" she practically growled.

"How dare I what?" Crystal asked, sounding somewhat confused, but she was cut off from further questions as Anzu suddenly tackled her, knocking both royals to the ground. Crystal grunted as the air was knocked out of her, but quickly recovered and shoved Anzu to the side so she could get up again. Anzu was not trained to fight, particularly in restricting formal wear, and thus Crystal knew she could easily beat the other Princess in a fight if she had to. "Beat it Anzu, I have no time for your stupidity," she said icily, turning away from the Princess who was currently struggling to her feet.

Anzu's growl was the only warning Crystal had before Anzu roughly shoved her again, knocking her down once more. Annoyed now, Crystal jumped up to a crouch, and swung her left leg out and around, tripping Anzu. Anzu landed heavily on the ground, and Crystal jumped lightly back to her feet. Anzu glared at her, and stood up more slowly, Crystal's wary gaze upon her. "Anzu, what the hell is wrong with you?" Crystal snapped, looking somewhat confused.

"How dare you take the Pharaoh, you bitch! He was mine until you enchanted him, you magical hag!" was Anzu's only response before she leapt at Crystal again. Crystal blinked rapidly in shock, but still managed to side-step the enraged Princess, who at not meeting her target, was off balance and nearly fell over. However, Anzu twisted around, grabbing a handful of Crystal's hair as she fell, causing Crystal to cry out and fall down with her.

Crystal once more leapt to her feet, looking thoroughly annoyed now. "Anzu, you are beyond delusional. Yami wouldn't want a spoiled brat like you in a million years. You're conceited, petty, bitchy, and the only reason anyone ever tolerates you is because they are trying to get on your father's good side," she snapped, too annoyed to be polite.

Anzu's eyes widened at that statement. "You bitch!" she screamed, launching herself at Crystal again. Since Anzu was untrained, and a lot weaker than Crystal, Crystal was easily able to stop Anzu's punches and slaps getting to her, though she managed to land a fair amount of blows on the Princess. Crystal normally hated fighting, and was doing all she could to not harm Anzu, but the girl was really starting to get on her nerves.

Anzu, getting rather frustrated at her inability to hurt the Isirian princess, then suddenly swiped at Crystal's face, and was rewarded with the sight of scratches. She jumped backwards and smirked in satisfaction. "Well, I can't see what Yami would want with an ugly cursed hag like you. Especially one who was cast-off from her first engagement. Trust the Pharaoh to take another man's leavings for his own. The only reason he's marrying you is because he wants you, and because he pities you. He doesn't love you," she said with another smug smile. Anzu saw Crystal's deadly glare, but just smirked, knowing by Crystal's expression that she'd cut deep.

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Yami calmly strolled through the corridors towards Crystal's room, completely unaware of the storm brewing within its walls. He was about to knock when he noticed the door was slightly ajar. Frowning lightly, he pushed the door open just in time to see Crystal leap at Anzu with a scream of anger. Yami blinked rapidly, rather shocked by her actions, and thus it was a few seconds before he acted. He gestured to the guard across the hall to accompany him, and managed to pry Crystal off Anzu, where she had been attempting to strangle her. The guard then helped Anzu stand up and restrained her.

Yami glared at both women before addressing Anzu. "Princess Anzu, go back to your rooms or your father will hear of this," he said at last, and the simpering expression on her face was replaced by a scowl as she whirled around and stalked out of the room with her nose in the air. The guard sweatdropped slightly and looked questioningly at Yami, who nodded to say that he could leave.

The Pharaoh then turned his attention to his fiancée, and gently guided her over to her bed where they both sat down. Yami then raised his hand to her cheek, and gently turned her head so he could see the scratches. Crystal winced at the movement, and Yami quickly moved his hand away. "Beloved, just what was going on between you two? What did she say to you?" he asked as she stood up and turned away from him, her left hand covering her cheek as she healed it.

"What makes you think she said anything?" Crystal asked quietly, though there was a note of curiosity in her tone.

Yami sighed, and also stood up. "Because I know you, and you would not have attacked her for no reason. What did she say?"

"Nothing," she replied, turning her head away again.

Yami sighed once more, and gently placed his hand on her shoulder and turned her around to look at him. "Crystal, what did she say? Please tell me."

Crystal sighed, and kept her gaze on the floor. "Anzu said that she couldn't see what you wanted in a girl like me – someone who had already been cast off from one engagement. She said that the only reason you're marrying me is because you pity me, and because you want me – not because you love me, " she said, looking into his eyes at the last. "I know you weren't lying when you asked me to marry you and said that you loved me, and I just got so angry that she would dare insult you that way without knowing anything about the situation."

Yami chuckled, and Crystal raised an eyebrow in query. "Then you attacked her to preserve my honour? Remind me to keep you away from court when foreign delegates come to visit then. Although it would be an interesting sight to see you attack them when they insult me (subtle though they think they are), it could result in complications," he explained, and Crystal also laughed.

It was at that point that Mahaado appeared, closely followed by Mana. He bowed to the royals. "My Pharaoh, my lady. I am here to perform that spell now, if you wish."

Crystal smiled, lowering her hand as the cuts were now completely healed. She then sat down, gesturing for Yami to join her. She then nodded to Mahaado. "I do indeed wish to speak to my father now. Once again, thank you for such a generous gift," she said, smiling sweetly at the Dark mage.

Mana then grinned. "See? I told you that she would like it!" she said just as Mahaado started chanting. Crystal then glanced sideways at Mana. "Mana, how long is this spell likely to last?" she asked, still watching Mahaado.

Mana shrugged. "As long as it needs to I guess. Don't worry, it won't drain Mahaado. Energy is only used to create it, and then to dispel it. He'll be fine, no matter how long you talk."

Mahaado then stopped chanting, and a large silvery cloud appeared in front of Crystal. Though the outlines remained hazy, the centre of this 'cloud' cleared into a scene that Crystal recognised as her father's study. It was almost as though she was really sitting in front of him. He was currently sitting at a desk piled high with papers.

Crystal seemed unsure of how to start, then decided to be blunt. "Hello Father!"

Isaac nearly jumped a mile when he heard that, and his eyes widened when he regarded the spell. "Crystal?" he asked, somewhat uncertainly as he half-rose from his chair.

She beamed. "Yes, it's me. Mahaado created this spell for me as a birthday present for me so that I could talk to you."

Isaac then sat down, visibly relieved to hear that there was a friendly reason for this sudden vision in his study. He put down the quill he had been writing with. "Well, though I am somewhat surprised, it is lovely to hear from you daughter. First, I must wish you a happy birthday. How has your day been so far?"

Crystal glanced at Yami, who Isaac could see as though the pair were sitting in front of him. "Well, that's mostly what I wanted to talk to you about..." she said, raising her hand to tuck some strands of hair behind her ear.

As it was her left-hand, Isaac saw the ring there, and positively grinned. "So he waited until your birthday to ask you to marry him? And by that rock on your hand, I'm pleased to assume that you said yes?"

Crystal blushed and smiled. "Yes, Father. He asked me a few hours ago. Seto announced it to the court, but I wanted to tell you in person. So...here we are."

Isaac beamed. "Well, you seem happy, so I'm delighted for you, my daughter. I hope you have a wonderful marriage, and a very happy life," he said before his gaze turned to Yami. "Yami, I'm delighted to have you as my future son-in-law – you clearly care for my daughter, and I know she will be happy with you. Just make sure you never forget how blessed you are to have such a beautiful, intelligent and all-together wonderful woman at your side, and we'll never have problems," he said with a bright smile at his future son-in-law.

Yami chuckled, and put his arm around Crystal, kissing her cheek. "You don't have to worry about that Isaac," he said with a soft smile at his fiancée.

Isaac smiled back. "Well, it was wonderful to hear from you two, and I'll speak to you tomorrow at the palace. Crystal, enjoy the rest of your birthday, and congratulations. I will see you tomorrow," he said with another smile, and Mahaado shut off the spell after Yami and Crystal said their goodbyes.

Crystal beamed at Mahaado, then ran over and hugged him. "Thank you so much Mahaado, that was a wonderful birthday present," she said, grinning up at the startled Dark Magician.

Yami then moved over to the pair and reached into Mahaado's pocket. "Speaking of birthday presents, here's the second half of yours," he said, handing a small wrapped package to Crystal.

She smiled at him and opened it to reveal a beautifully carved heart-shaped locket with intricate carvings and a blue sapphire in the centre. Crystal gasped, and flung her arms around Yami, "Yami, it's gorgeous!" she said happily before kissing him.

Yami grinned at her. "I'm glad you like it. I got it specially made for you," he said, before helping her place it around her neck.

She turned around and kissed him again. "Thank you so much, it's beautiful."

Yami smiled. "Then it suits you well my love. Come, let's go down to dinner. We must get through this day so we can start planning the wedding tomorrow...unless of course you'd like to leave it for a while?"

"Yami, nothing would please me more than to start planning our wedding tomorrow. It'll keep me busy for some time at least, because I refuse to let it be planned for me!" she said passionately.

Yami chuckled, and put his arm around her waist. "You're going to turn Egypt on its ear my love, what with your passionate nature and stubbornness," he said affectionately, kissing her forehead.

She turned her head to glare at him. "Well, it seemed to somehow survive with just you, so I'm sure Egypt and I won't have any problems," she said with a playful grin before darting away from Yami down the corridor. Glaring, Yami chased after her, and their laughter filled the hall as they ran.

Mahaado left the room and put his arm around Mana. "And so it begins," he said simply, watching the couple.

Mana smiled. "Well, the next few years are going to be very interesting. May they always stay as happy as they are now," she whispered, though knowing in her heart that the trouble with Rames was not going to just go away.

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Angel: And so this chapter ends – sorry it was pretty much just a filler chapter. The wedding and all that will happen next time...and then the end of the story will be just around the corner!

Y.Ang: By the way, the idea for Mahaado's birthday present to Crystal was taken from Raymond E. Feist's _Prince of the Blood_, which is one of the awesome books of his Midkemia series. Angel liked the idea of Pug talking to Arutha and giving him a surprise, so she decided to let Crystal talk to her father in a similar way.

Angel: All hail Feist! Anyway, I got this chapter out just in time for Christmas! n...n I made myself a promise I would get it out before Christmas...and I did! I kept a promise regarding a fanfiction!! n...n

Y.Ang: (rolls eyes) About time too. Only took you, what, 20 chapters to keep a promise regarding updates?

Angel: (glares) Anyway, hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and Merry Christmas to everybody! (grins and starts tossing out presents)

Y.Ang: (gets new YuGiOh manga and some new DVD's) YAY!! (runs off to read manga)

Yami: (gets some new cards, and another case for all his old ones) Well, I suppose I do go through a lot of cards and practically change decks each series...(shrugs)

Crystal: (gets some new embroidery patterns and some jewellery) Yay for me – more stuff to wear n...n

Mana: (gets shiny new staff and book of magical practical jokes) Well, this is going to be fun...

Mahaado: (sweatdrops at Mana, and gets some new scrolls of magic spells) I think I'll need a few spells of protection...

Isaac: (gets a new sword) Why do I get the feeling I will actually need this? (sighs)

Rames: (gets smashed with a hammer) Oww...that wasn't very nice...(sulks and plots Angel's demise...then gets smashed again)

Reviewers/readers: (all get boxes of chocolate and lollies)

Angel: You guys are awesome, and I honestly would have given up long ago if not for your support. So lots of thanks must go out to all of you, particularly those who stuck with me even with the _long_ wait between updates. So once again, thanks to all my reviewers and readers! Your comments make it all worthwhile:)

Y.Ang: Yeah, you reviewers are awesome. Angel is nicer to me when she gets compliments :D

Mana: (sneaks up behind Mahaado and starts chanting)

Crystal: (sighs) Please review!

Merry Christmas everyone:D


	21. The Wedding

Angel: Hello my loyal reviewers and readers! n...n

Yami: Why is she so happy?

Y.Ang: (sighs) Presents and Christmas money has completed her collection of the first manga series of YuGiOh.

Angel: Aww! Yugi's digital pet is so kawaii!! n...n

Yami: (sweatdrops)

Angel: And Yami is so hot! (drools)

Yami: (MAJOR sweatdrop)

Crystal: (coughs loudly) Ahem. Angel, your story?

Angel: (too busy gushing over manga and other Christmas presents) :D

Y.Ang: (sighs) She now also owns the first three series of Futurama (she got the second one for Christmas)...

Angel: (skips around in delight) :D

Crystal: (also sweatdrops) Anyway, I'm amazed at how motivated she is all of a sudden. She only posted the other chapter yesterday, and is already starting to write the next chapter...(gets cut off by Yami putting his hand over her mouth)

Yami: Shhh, we're trying to be good muses for a change and encourage her...then the story will be finished and we can all go home.

Angel: (looks up) You're all going to leave me? (HUGE puppy-dog watery eyes)

Yami: (hastily backs away) Well, we do have better things to do than sit around here all day. You know, I happen to be needed to save the world right now...

Angel: (bursts into anime-style waterfall tears)

Y.Ang: (also backs away and sweatdrops) Just ignore her...anyway, as the authoress is currently too emotional to function (calmly steps away from puddle of water edging towards her), suppose I'd better do the author's notes. Yami can help me...(glares at said Pharaoh, who is currently perched on Angel's desk)

Yami: (sighs and glances down at his clipboard) Well, the only thing Angel really wanted to say was to ask if anyone has figured out why Rames is so happy that Crystal and I are getting married. She's left a few clues here and there throughout a few chapters, though the most obvious and helpful one was in the last chapter. So yeah, she just wants to hear your theories...if you have any...

Crystal: (also sitting on a desk to escape the steadily growing puddle of tears) Also, Angel would like to apologise for this chapter. She has absolutely no idea how Egyptians held weddings (nor any other ceremony as shown by earlier chapters), and thus her version of a wedding is mostly to be wrong.

Yami: (blinks at the still-crying authoress) Should we do something?

Y.Ang: (cleaning nails) She'll recover once she realises her precious comics and DVD's are in major danger of getting ruined by her tears.

Angel: (suddenly stops crying and leaps into action to save said presents)

Y.Ang: See? I told you so.

Yami and Crystal: (sweatdrop)

Crystal: Angel does not own YuGiOh. She owns various OC places and people. Enjoy the story everyone! (waves in a bored fashion)

**Lonely Heart in Egypt**

Chapter 21: The Wedding

Crystal stared at the huge golden doors, feeling herself shaking slightly. "Mai, I can't do this," she said in desperation, appealing to her maid-of-honour/bridesmaid.

Mai smiled and leaned over to pry the wedding wreath from her friend's fingers. "Yes you can Crystal; you just need to calm down. Look, just ignore all the people. You're getting married to Yami, the love of your life today, and that's all that matters. Now just calm down before you ruin your flowers," she said, handing the beautiful bouquet back to the somewhat calmer princess.

Joey, Captain of the Guard, grinned at the princess. "Relax, Crystal. You look lovely. Now, I must go inside and calm the Pharaoh down, so give me a few minutes before you start," he said with a smile before kissing her cheek. In the months since Yami's proposal – when Mai had come to live at the palace to help prepare for the wedding – Crystal had become good friends with the Captain of the Guard. She hadn't seen him much beforehand – he always seemed to be busy. However, he just seemed to pop up whenever Mai was around. She had developed an instant liking for the loyal and friendly young man; not to mention the fact that Mai was in love with him.

The young bride then turned around to face the ringbearers – Mokuba and Yugi. It had been almost a year since Yami's 18th birthday, where the couple had met for the first time, and the two 9-year-olds were squabbling over who got to walk on which side and carry which side of the cushion which had the rings on top. Crystal silenced them with her stare, then smiled at them both. "Stop arguing you two. We are going to start soon," she said before gesturing at Mai, who hugged her friend. "Good luck, hun," Mai said before turning towards the door and striding out as the guards opened it.

The entrance of the bridesmaid cued the beginning of the ceremony, and everyone turned around to watch as the young blonde woman moved down the carpeted aisle. She was dressed in an elegant lilac dress, and she carried a small bouquet of white and purple flowers.

Yami, at the other end of the hall, stopped fidgeting as Mai began to move up the aisle, but glanced at Joey and saw that he had not taken his eyes off her. Yami chuckled at that and then sighed, restlessly running his fingers through his hair again. Joey had spent the last few minutes assuring the nervous Pharaoh that everything would be fine, and that Crystal looked lovely in her wedding dress, but he still inexplicably felt nervous. He tugged absently at the cape of his outfit, which was different from his normal ceremonial attire. He was dressed in a white robe with a gold sash, a large golden torque around his neck, a flowing purple cape, and gold armbands. The white was for the wedding, and the purple and gold for royalty. Oddly enough, only the men usually wore purple – the traditional women's outfit, even if they were also royalty, was a white dress.

The proof of this was seen shortly, after Yugi and Mokuba had proceeded down the aisle carrying the rings. After they had arrived at Yami's side, the whole crowd turned expectantly towards the golden doors as they opened for the last time to reveal the bride.

Yami's breath caught in his throat as he finally laid eyes on his beloved Crystal. Her golden hair was pulled back from her face with a silver tiara, but still flowed easily down her back. She was dressed in a simple gown of white, with elegant embroidery on the top half, but the seeming simplicity of the dress only heightened her natural beauty. Her white veil spread out from the back of the tiara, and didn't hide her face. This wedding was a combination of Isirian and Egyptian traditions – and example of such being that in Isiria the bride's face was rarely hidden behind a veil, to show that she did not need to hide away her beauty. In Egypt, the bride normally wore a veil, because marriages were often arranged and thus the bride usually did not know the groom well, and would 'hide' herself from him.

But I digress. Crystal soon arrived at Yami's side, beaming as she turned to kiss her father's (who had been waiting near Yami, according to tradition) cheek. She then hugged her father, and turned to Yami, her soft smile making her radiantly pretty.

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Sometime later, the ceremony was winding down. The royal couple had finished their vows to each other, and had received the blessings of the gods. The High Priest overseeing the ceremony, appropriately the High Priest of Isis in Isiria, smiled at the pair. He had known the Princess since she was very small, as she had often visited his temple as a child, and had often engaged in philosophical debates with him as she grew older, and it delighted him to see her so happy. He then raised his voice for the nobles and other guests. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. Pharaoh, you may now kiss your bride," he said, smiling again as Yami did just that to the cheers of the guests.

Crystal blushed slightly as Yami turned her to face the crowd, and as the Priest declared the ceremony over, she grinned at Yami and the two quickly started to run down the aisle, trying to avoid as much of the grain that the guests were throwing at them for good luck as they could.

Another hour so later, the celebrations were in full swing. Crystal sat at Yami's feet, according to tradition, as each of the guests showed their tribute to the wedding – entertainment. Each guest was expected to provide at least some entertainment for afterwards – musicians, singers, dancers (which Crystal pretended to cover Yami's eyes for, to the amusement of the other women in the hall), and other such entertainment. (1) Sometimes nobles would get together and a group of nobles would sponsor a single performance. This was the case for this wedding, as so many nobles were in attendance that in order for the day to actually end before midnight, only a limited number of performances were allowed. Those guests that had not sponsored entertainment bought gifts instead. It was indeed an odd system, but one that had worked for several generations.

The royal couple were served by servants so that they would not have to leave their dais to get food and drink from the long tables set up in the room for that purpose, and thus insult the performers. Crystal was munching on a bunch of grapes during the last performance – a brilliant dramatic act. Dinner had already been served and eaten by this point, and the evening breeze cooled the hall. The wedding had occurred before noon (as it was believed to be unlucky if the wedding should end after noon) and thus the entertaining had gone on for the whole afternoon.

As the performance ended, Yami drained the last of his wine goblet, and nodded to the priest. The High Priest then stood. "Now comes the time for the royal couple to retire. Blessings be upon them both, and may they be happy together for the remainder of their days," he intoned in ritual, and Yami unexpectedly swept Crystal up into his arms to plant a soft kiss on her lips before turning to exit the room. As they left, the cheers of the guests followed them until Yami's harried looking advisors sort to restore order and sort out who was staying in what apartments in the palace, and so on and so forth.

As soon as the doors shut however, Crystal laughed. "Yami, I don't expect you to carry me all the way to your apartments," she said before gently kissing her husband again. A delighted smile crossed her face at the thought. _'Yami is my husband. He's mine now, forever.'_

Yami found himself smiling at the radiantly pretty expression on his new wife's face, and his thoughts followed a similar pattern. _'Wife. Crystal is my wife at last.'_

They looked at each other after several seconds of silence, and then both started laughing. Crystal then squirmed out of Yami's arms, and took off at a run towards his apartments, beaming. Yami grinned also as he followed her, though took care not to overtake until they arrived.

Once inside his rooms, the fun quality died, and a sort of solemnity descended across the room as the two looked at each other. They removed each other's jewellery without a word, and Crystal also untied Yami's cape. They remained in silence for a few moments longer, merely looking at each other. At last, Crystal broke the silence, reaching up to gently rest her hand on her beloved's cheek. "Yami, I love you," she said softly, kissing him gently as she said so. He smiled, capturing her hand in his own, and kissing her fingers before looking into her eyes. "I love you also, Crystal," he said before kissing her back. This time their kiss was longer, more passionate, and Yami gently pushed her back onto his bed as he trailed kisses along her neck. Tonight they were alone, and they both intended to savour the moment.

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A few months later, Crystal awoke as the sunlight warmed her face, and slowly opened her eyes. She smiled as she saw Yami, who she had been resting her head on. She thought he looked adorable when he was sleeping, and often told him so – to which he would grumpily deny being 'adorable' in any way. She gently moved her hand and head off her husband, and kissed him. "Yami, its time to wake up," she said softly, laughing as he groaned and rolled away from her. "No it isn't," he protested sleepily.

She suddenly smirked, and gently started tickling him. He started laughing. "Crystal, this is cruel," he protested as he tried to move away. But Crystal grinned and rolled over on top of him, effectively pinning up under her, and used one hand to pin both his hands above his head. She then smirked at him, and continued tickling him with her free hand. He laughed, and squirmed, trying desperately to escape. She eventually took pity on him, and stopped, leaning over so that they were practically nose-to-nose. "Are you awake now?" she asked teasingly.

Yami glared at her, cursing every god in existence that his wife was a morning person, and that he was not. "Yes dear," he replied sullenly, but any annoyance was quickly melted away as she kissed him. He smirked as he realised his hands were now left unattended, and sought his revenge. She shrieked with laughter as he tickled her back, and quickly rolled off him to try and escape. He grinned and followed her. She eventually yielded to the unavoidable. "Mercy, mercy!" she shrieked in-between her laughter. Yami smirked and let her go, though kissed her one last time before he rolled off her and got out of bed.

He half-expected her to throw something at him as she normally would when losing a 'fight', but feeling nothing, he turned around to find his wife curled back up beneath the sheets. His eyes widened at the unfairness. "Crystal!" he whined, unable to believe that she had woken him up, and then gone back to sleep herself.

She opened one eye to look up at him, looking rather innocent and cheeky. "I'm not the one that has to go to council with my advisors darling. So I can stay here and sleep," she said playfully, before closing her eye again.

Yami opened his mouth and was about to retort when a knock was heard on their door. "My lord Pharaoh, your advisors request that you be in the throne room in half an hour to conduct your daily morning meeting," a timid voice said on the other side. The Pharaoh sighed. "Alright, tell them I'll be there," he called back somewhat crossly before glaring at his wife, who didn't open her eyes and maintained her pose of innocence. His scowl disappeared at watching her – he could never stay angry with her for long.

After he had dressed, Yami returned to his wife's side. "Please come to council when you are ready dear," he said softly as he kissed her cheek. He left the room before Crystal opened her eyes. She stretched luxuriously, and then called for her personal maid. The young woman rushed into the room. "My lady?"

Crystal swung her legs around off the bed, and ran her fingers through her hair. "Could you please bring me a damp cloth?"

The maid complied, and returned from the couple's private bathroom a few moments later. "Is my lady feeling ill again this morning?" she asked sympathetically as Crystal placed the cloth to her forehead and lay down.

Crystal nodded. "Yes, but its not that bad. I just feel a little nauseous. It should pass quickly though. In the meantime, could you get one of my blue dresses out of the cupboard for me, and place it on the bed there? Thank you," she said as the maid bowed and did as she was asked. After the dress was in easy reach, the maid bowed again and left.

Crystal was left alone, lying back on her bed with the damp cloth to her forehead. "Thank goodness for morning council, else Yami would worry," she said to herself, chuckling as she remembered how flustered Yami had become when she'd caught a simple cold a few weeks after their wedding.

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Far away, Rames scowled at his second-in-command. "No, we are not giving up the fight you fool! We're merely postponing it! Get that into your head!" he snapped, slapping the fool across the face. The now red-faced and rather embarrassed officer muttered an apology and left the room. Rames scowled, and stood up as he began to pace. "Ok, so maybe leaving Isaac's court wasn't my brightest idea. But that fool was becoming too suspicious, and watching me too often. This way, far from him and his meddling ways, I can plan my attack. It will take some time, but I swear I'll ensure my victory! Especially now that I have the full facts, not just those lies the previous Pharaoh tried to trick me into believing. No-one will stop me this time...I'll make sure of it," he said with an evil chuckle.

"You two royals can have a few years peace to cause you to grow complacent, but then you won't know what will hit you. I will win, and I will take the crown," he said with a smirk.

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(1) This idea of entertainment being the wedding gift was adopted from the people of Janny Wurts/Raymond.E.Feist's Tsurani world. Often in that world, the various entertainments would last for a few days, with the married couple housed in different sleeping quarters until the last performance. But I changed to a limited number of performances + gifts to allow some variety and such.

Angel: Yay, another finished chapter :D Sorry it's short, but I'm trying to delay this story as long as possible...lol. And better to have shorter chapters every few weeks (let's hope I can keep that posting schedule up for a while) than longer chapters every 6 months or so, lol. Also, this story probably has about 3 more chapters to go.

Note: This chapter was only finished less than an hour ago, and I didn't want to go back over it and read it AGAIN (I've been re-reading the first section for the last few days, trying to get over writer's block, lol) so if you see any errors, please point them out to me. I'll likely look back over it later anyway, but if you guys spot major errors and things please tell me in case I miss it.

Please review! And feel free to message me with questions about any of my stories, theories about any of my stories, questions about me (but honestly, you don't want to talk about that, lol) or even if you just want to chat. I'd like to hear from you guys :D

C YA!! Angel


	22. The Future

Angel: (typing madly in three different documents)

Yami: ...what is she doing?

Y.Ang: -...- She is trying to avoid writer's block by switching between her three stories every time it hits her on one. So far it seems to be working, but the fact that those three stories are in three completely different categories (YuGiOh, Zelda, and KotOR), and the fact that Crystal is the name of a main character in two of them is making it rather interesting...

Angel: (throws a pen at the computer) No, Yami does not like a Jedi Master! He likes his wife the Queen you stupid computer! (throws a tantrum)

Yami: (sweatdrops, and wisely decides not to point out that is Angel's brain at fault, not the computer)

Angel: And Yami can't use the Force! (madly continues typing)

Y.Ang: (also sweatdrops) Mostly it's just names she messes up, which she normally finds quickly, but she seems to mess up events occasionally too.

Angel: And Maia isn't getting married! (gives up and angrily stalks away from the computer to fume in her room)

Y.Ang: (sweatdrops again and sighs) Well, I have nothing of importance to add. Except that you reviewers make Angel's day. Especially now that fixed their email problem and she actually gets notified of reviews.

Yami: Yeah, she was hopping around the house in delight when she found emails from on her hotmail account...even though she had already replied to most of those reviews...(sweatdrops)

Y.Ang: (shrugs) The holidays are making her weirder than normal. Anyway, Angel does not own YuGiOh! (holds up megaphone) Roll fic!

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh. I also do not own the _Empire_ trilogy by Feist and Wurts, though I will be using ideas I got while reading those books in my story. Please don't sue me! (cowers)

Y.Ang: Oh yeah, Angel wishes to apologise for how much time passes over these last few chapters, but it really can't be helped, as she needs time to pass for her plot. She will do her best to make this time change as smooth as possible though.

Angel: (comes back) Oh yeah, I'm also going to try and bring some facts and stuff from the Egyptian arc series into the story. Don't worry, I'll try not to completely spoil the plotline of that arc, but I just want to bring some non-AU stuff into this story, lol. Thus there is a mild spoiler warning for this chapter. And its also going to be a nice long chapter too :D

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 22: The Future

It was another week later, and Yami, for the first time in about a month, woke up before his wife. She had her back to him, but he had his arms wrapped around her. Yami then thought wryly to himself that it was good that he woke up first for a change – he was getting slightly annoyed at being woken up by her every morning. His most memorable awakenings were from the day before, when she'd just literally pushed him out of the bed, and a few days earlier where she had used her magic to levitate him out of the bed, and then poured water on him. Despite being a powerful mage, Crystal rarely used her magic for mundane means, except when she was feeling playful.

Yami then yawned, and snuggled closer to his wife. He felt that she was awake now, but she didn't want to have to move to make him get up. He squeezed her stomach gently, and a slight 'fullness' there alerted him. Suddenly, the mornings she'd spent away from him, and her making sure he was awake and gone before her made sense. He grinned, and kissed his wife's shoulder. "So, have the midwives told you whether our child is to be a boy or a girl?" he asked mischievously.

Crystal gasped and twisted around in his arms. "I did not tell you I was pregnant! Which of my maids betrayed me?" she asked indignantly, and Yami could not resist a chuckle. "No-one said anything darling," he said, kissing her gently. She relaxed at that. "I see. None of my maids told, but I still cannot keep secrets from you my husband," she said with a smile as Yami kissed her forehead.

"Well, what have the midwives said?" he asked again, kissing her eyelids now.

She swatted him away, though she was still smiling. "They have said nothing. But it will be a boy," she said firmly.

Yami laughed. "Then my stubborn wife, let's hope it will be so," he said, sounding amused even when she hit him in the stomach for his light patronizing tone. "Oof!" he said as he rolled over, pretending to be fatally wounded.

Crystal rolled her eyes and hit him in the arm. "Oh, stop pretending to die. I know you're fine," she said exasperatedly as Yami continued to groan as thought dying. Her eyes then twinkled. "Oh well, if my husband is dying, I'll have to go find someone else to kiss," she said teasingly, sitting up and making as though to get out of bed.

Yami moved like lightning at that, frowning slightly as he turned her head to face him. "Not so fast, I'm not that dead yet," he scowled, kissing her. Unfortunately for him, Crystal could read his moods well enough to know he was just pretending to be upset.

She just grinned at him as he let her go. "Well, there's always next time," she said, her eyes still twinkling. Yami's eyes widened at that, and he was about to start protesting when she cut him off with another kiss. Laughing, she then ducked away from the arms that sought to encircle her, and rolled off the bed.

Yami glared at her, but she merely beamed at him as she darted out of his reach. She then poked her tongue out at him, and Yami jumped out of bed and pulled her back towards him. "You're not getting away that fast," he growled, tightening his hold enough so that she couldn't escape, but not so that he was hurting her.

She pretended to pout. "Oh bother," she murmured before kissing him again. She then turned slightly pale, and Yami gently guided her back to the bed so that she was sitting down before calling for the maid. The maid came running into the room at this point with her usual damp cloth, and Crystal lay down, putting it to her forehead as her colour paled further. She made a shooing gesture at Yami. "Yami, you'd better get going."

Yami merely frowned at her. "Crystal dearest, you're not getting rid of me. Council can wait until you feel better," he said, kissing her cheek before settling in beside her.

She smiled weakly at him. "Thank you," she said at last, before closing her eyes and trying to fight down the nauseous feeling in her stomach.

And although she still kept trying to push him away, he stayed by her side until she felt well again. Only once she was ready did he go and join his advisors.

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Yami's advisors had grown in the time since his wedding – he now had seven official advisors. They were: Isis, Seto, Mahaado, Akunadin (Yami's uncle), Karim (a trusted former member of Isaac's court), Shaad (a mysterious, yet trusted, man from Yami's father's reign), and Shimon (Yami's former mentor). These seven people were those responsible for the Pharaoh's welfare, and aided him in ruling the country of Egypt. All were trusted, and several were old friends of the Pharaoh or, in Karim's case, his wife.

Also, for the first time since his father's time, all the Millennium Items had a Holder, and were no longer scattered about in various safe locations in Egypt. Since finding Crystal, Yami had grown to trust others more, and thus allowed his advisors to hold and personally protect the Items. Isis held the Necklace, Seto held the Rod, Mahaado held the Ring, Karim held the Scales, Shaad held the Key, Akunadin held the Eye, and the Pharaoh himself held the Puzzle (Shimon had held an Item in Yami's father's reign, but was quite content to be without one now). These Items were occasionally used in the defence of Egypt, but the Pharaoh made sure never to become too dependent on them. Mostly, the role of the Holders was just to protect their Item from the wrong hands. (1)

Yami trusted his advisors, and for the most part, they trusted each other as well. However, Seto and Mahaado tended to argue a lot (particularly about security, which Mahaado was in charge of), Seto and Isis had little to do with each other (they had drifted apart on becoming official members of Yami's inner court), Shaad was too mysterious and cryptic for his own good, Karim had a rather bad sense of humour and took every slight as a personal insult, and Akunadin tended to be a grumpy old man, also with a rather poor sense of humour.

However, while they had their differences, they still managed to get along with one another rather well and rarely ever seriously argued with each other. Except for that one morning when Yami stayed back in his rooms with his wife.

When the royal couple quietly entered the council room, they found 5 of Yami's advisors forming a sort of circle around the other two, all looking between slightly amused and downright unhappy. Isis was shaking her head, and Shaad looked like he was concealing a smile. Crystal sighed upon recognising the two in the centre of the circle, and looked at her husband with a look of resignation.

Yami sighed also upon seeing Seto and Mahaado at each other's throats (fortunately not yet literally). No one was quite sure why these two suddenly didn't get along after a year or so of indifference towards each other (before the wedding), but since Mahaado had become an advisor, the two were often found arguing. Yami moved over to them, and coughed politely to announce his presence. Both stopped the moment they saw him, and sat down on their respective chairs, glaring at each other. Crystal sat down beside Yami, smiling slightly at the antics of her husband's advisors.

Yami frowned at the two arguers. "Before we begin business today, perhaps you could tell me what has upset the two of you so much?" he asked pointedly. He glanced at Mahaado for an answer, while Crystal raised an eyebrow at Seto.

Neither answered, and Crystal sighed. "Just leave the issue, husband. No doubt they were arguing over whose fault it was that that assassin made it to the throne room yesterday," she said, sounding tired as she frowned at the two offenders. Their shamed faces confirmed her suspicions.

Yami sighed and made a note to talk to the two of them later. Crystal then glanced at Isis. "Don't tell me you didn't foresee this?" she said with a teasing grin. Isis was about to retort, but the Necklace granted her a vision as she glanced at the Queen. Her eyes widened, and she practically squealed. "Oh, you're not!" she said in delight. Crystal blushed at that, while the remaining Council members stared at Isis as though she had grown a second head. Isis didn't see their faces though. "I can't believe you didn't tell me! Does Mana know?" she asked, and Mahaado's face perked up at that. He had recently taken Mana as his apprentice, as it had become apparent that his magic was far stronger than hers, and that she needed training. Also, it was an excuse to spend time with her.

Crystal just blushed again. "Anyway Isis, moving on to this morning's business..." she said, pleading to Yami to rescue her. He gave in. "Akunadin, what must we discuss this morning?" he asked, and Council began. Eventually, Yami explained his lateness by saying that his wife had been indisposed, and told that she was pregnant. Congratulations were offered, and Council continued.

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Several months later, Yami was relaxing in his private gardens with Mahaado, Isis, Mana and Seto. Council had finished, and there were no official duties he had to do today. So he was having a lazy day. Crystal would have joined them, but she had been tired and more moody than usual for the last few days, and had stayed in her chambers to rest. That, and she really didn't feel like moving far out of her rooms these days.

Mana was currently teasing Yami. Over the last few months, his wife had become progressively moody, and the target of her ire was most often Yami. He couldn't do a single thing right in her eyes, and had received numerous bumps and bruises from when he had dared to cross her when she was in 'one of her moods' . She tolerated and even enjoyed the presence of Isis, the newly-married Mai, and Mana, but for some reason Yami always got on her nerves. He had been rather stupid towards his wife that morning, and was sporting a handsome new bruise on his arm from where she had thrown a vase at him.

So Crystal wasn't the only one getting fed up with her pregnancy. She had been so different from her normally cheerful self, though the midwives assured Yami that that was normal. Neither husband nor wife was particularly pleased to hear that, though Yami wasn't sure if Crystal was unhappy with the news or just him. The news that she would be back to normal after the child was born was the only thing that had kept him sane these last few months – that and keeping away from his wife when she was grumpy.

Yami was brought back to the present by Mana poking his bruise, and he shot up and cursed in pain. "Mana!" he said crossly, glaring at her. But her innocent expression rivalled Crystal's, and he quickly forgave her – after all, being the target of Mahaado's scolding was punishment enough for her.

It was at that point that one of Crystal's maids came running into the garden, looking slightly out of breath. She curtsied before Yami, who looked at her curiously. "My lord Pharaoh, the midwife sent me to tell you that your lady's time has come upon her. She is having the baby," she said shyly. She then turned to Isis and Mana. "My lady's companion, Lady Mai, has asked for the presence of Priestess Isis and Miss Mana by my lady's side," she said before curtsying again. Both women nodded and flew up to Crystal's side.

Meanwhile, back in the garden, Yami turned pale at the news that his wife was giving birth to their child. He immediately wanted to go to her side, but knew the midwives and Crystal's friends would just chase him back out. Pharaoh or not, there were just some places he wasn't allowed. Seto came to stand before his cousin. "Yami, I suggest you find something to do for the next few hours, else you will drop dead of nerves and become the target of Crystal's ire once again," he said with a small smile. Yami sighed, and swiftly moved off to his library, worrying for his wife. Many women died in childbirth, and though he knew she had magic and the best midwives in the world on her side, he still worried.

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Several hours later, Yami was re-reading a passage of his scroll for the millionth time, unable to concentrate on what was usually an enjoyable piece to read. He glanced over at Seto and Mahaado, who had started challenging each other in various games, the most recent of them chess. They were surprisingly rather evenly matched, and both were staring intently at the board as though a way to win would suddenly appear before their eyes. After a few minutes had passed with the pair both staring at the board, Seto suddenly moved his knight, capturing Mahaado's queen. Mahaado then let out a crow of triumph and moved his priest over to complete the checkmate. Seto stared at the board in dismay, and started cursing as he saw how neat a trap he'd fallen into. Mahaado sat back in his chair, a satisfied smirk on his face. Seto then glared up at Mahaado, who gestured to the piece of parchment to his right, where he'd just made a note. "Seto: 4, Mahaado: 5," he said calmly, sounding rather pleased with himself.

Just as Seto puffed up, about to demand a rematch, Yami became aware of another presence in the room. He turned around on his cushion, and saw Mana standing there, looking slightly tired. He instantly forgot about his book, and leapt to his feet. "Mana! What has happened? Is she alright?" he asked pleadingly, nearly tripping over a cushion in his haste to get up. Both Seto and Mahaado looked up from their bickering as they heard Yami speak.

Mana glanced seriously at the Pharaoh, her expression blank. But rather than torment him any longer, she beamed. "Both your wife and baby are fine, Yami," she said, smiling at the relieved look that crossed Yami's face. "You can go and see her now," she said, and Yami was suddenly not in the room anymore. Mahaado, Seto and Mana all blinked at the speed in which the Pharaoh had departed, and Mana could have sworn that she saw a small dust cloud where he had been sitting. Shaking her head, she then turned to Seto. "Seto, you can go and visit her later if she's still awake and wants to see you," she said kindly before turning and leaving the room. Now that she knew Crystal was okay, she could start practicing her magic again. Mahaado followed her to make sure she didn't freeze the guards again (2), and Seto left the room not long after the other two left.

Meanwhile, Yami had raced up to the small apartment set up for Crystal to have the baby in, and a place for her to rest afterwards away from everyone else. He arrived at the door in record time, and the door opened just as he arrived, and Isis stepped out. She looked rather startled to see Yami standing there. "Ah, hello Yami. I just sent Mana to look for you..." she said, surprised that he was already there.

He nodded. "I know, I just saw her," he said, and Isis blinked at him. '_Wow, he sure moved fast,_' she thought to herself. Yami then continued. "So can I see her now?" he half-pleaded, and Isis smiled. "Yes, you can. I am the last one here, so you two can have some time alone," she said gently, stepping out of the room and letting the Pharaoh inside.

He quickly made his way over to the bed, where a tired looking Crystal was sitting. "Hi Yami," she said softly, smiling at him. Yami kissed her forehead, then looked down at the baby in her arms. She smiled at seeing the direction of his gaze. "Yami, meet your son," she said, beaming as she looked down at the small child wrapped in her arms.

Yami stared at the baby. "He's so small," he said wonderingly, and Crystal giggled. Yami looked up at her. "What should we call him?"

She smiled at the baby, gently bringing her free hand up to stroke his cheek. "I thought we should call him Atemu, after his father," she said with a smile. (3)

Yami stared at her. "You remember that?"

She smiled. "Of course. It sounds like a good name for our son. Besides, no doubt he'll be just like you in looks and nature, so being your namesake as well will suit him," she said dryly. Her expression then softened. "I know Atem was the name your father called you by, and you tried to forget it after he died, using only your nickname – you put your childhood behind you when he died, and when everything changed. But this way your childhood will not be forgotten, and your name will still be honoured through your son." Crystal then faltered. "Of course, if you have another name for him..." she said, trailing off.

Yami shook his head. "No my darling, Atemu sounds perfect for our child. Like the name I had when we first met...it is a wonderful name, my dear," he said before sighing. "I'm just so glad you're both alright," he said, kissing her gently again.

Crystal smiled sheepishly at that. "Speaking of which, Yami, I'm sorry about how I've been acting these last few months. I haven't been myself, and I'm honestly sorry for all the times I attacked you," she said softly, but Yami merely smiled.

"It's alright, I know you weren't yourself. Although, you did pack a mean punch sometimes," he said dryly, gesturing to his arm. "But it's alright now. I forgive you, Crystal," he said with a smile.

Crystal beamed. "Good. Now, would you like to hold your son?" she said, before giving Yami no choice as she handed little Atemu to him. Yami looked rather startled, and Crystal had to admit the fear on his face was rather comic, but he soon calmed down upon realising he wasn't going to drop or hurt his son. He stared down at the baby. "He's so tiny," he said again, smiling at Atemu. Crystal smiled; glad to see the adoring look in his eyes. So many lords of Egypt didn't love their children, and treated them solely as heirs – not loved ones. But Yami already seemed to love his son, and of that she was glad. "He looks like you," she said with a soft smile, moving over so that Yami could sit beside her, and they both merely watched their son for a short while.

As Yami slightly shifted his hold on the boy to make himself more comfortable, little Atemu yawned and opened his eyes, staring up at his parents. He blinked his narrow-looking lavender eyes, and frowned lightly before closing his eyes again. Crystal started laughing at that. "Oh, he's definitely your son. He already has your scowl," she said in amusement, gently pulling her baby back into her arms. Yami scowled at her comment, and she laughed again. "See? Exactly the same," she said with a grin, and Yami glared at her. "At least his eyes aren't completely mine," he said, referring to the purple colour – a combination of his red and her blue. Crystal smiled, nuzzling her son. "They are your shape though. He's your son through and through," she said, before grinning. "No doubt he'll be just as annoying and mischievous as you too."

Yami scowled again at that, but his annoyed look vanished as he studied his son. The couple stayed there quietly for a several minutes, simply enjoying the moment and each other's presence. However, such peace was soon disturbed by knocking on the door, followed by Yugi's excited yell. "Crystal, Crystal, can we please come in?" followed by Seto's scolding. "Yugi, she could be sleeping," he said, but he was drowned out as Mokuba and Yugi both opened the door and peeked inside to see if Crystal really was asleep. Upon seeing her both awake and smiling at them, both boys turned around to poke their tongues out at Seto, and bounced over to her side. Both were extremely excited (indeed, Yugi had been bouncing around the castle even more than usual for the last month or so), but tried to be quiet so as not to wake the baby. Both climbed onto the bed and sat down beside Crystal on the opposite side from Yami. Yugi was near her head, and Mokuba was next to him. Seto took a more dignified approach, and walked over to stand on Crystal's side of the bed and look over the boys' shoulders. He smiled in greeting at the Queen. "Crystal," he said as he bowed his head, and she smiled at him before turning her attention back to the baby.

Yugi was grinning from ear-to-ear. "So is this your baby?" he asked excitedly. Crystal nodded, looking at Yami and smiling. "Yes, he is Yugi. This is Atemu," she said, turning the baby so the boys could see him properly.

Seto raised an eyebrow at the name, but said nothing. Yugi squealed in delight, and Mokuba just grinned. "Atemu? That's like Yami's real name!" he said proudly, and Crystal nodded. "Yes, it is Yugi. Do you want to hold him?" she asked, and Yugi's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "Can I really?" he asked excitedly, and Mokuba pouted. "You can hold him next, Mokuba," Crystal said gently, before explaining to Yugi how to properly hold the little Prince. Yugi was very gentle, and Crystal smiled at him. "Yugi, meet Atemu. Atemu, meet your uncle Yugi," she said with a smile at Yugi's delighted expression. As Atemu opened his eyes to stare up at the newcomer, Yugi cried out in delight. "Oh, his eyes are the same colour as mine!" he said, looking very happy. "Just like Mum's eyes," he said, looking sad for a moment, then smiling again as he looked at his little nephew.

Mokuba then pouted again. "Is it my turn now?" he asked Crystal, and she nodded. Yugi pouted as well, but Crystal remained firm. "Sorry Yugi, but Atemu and I need to rest. So let Mokuba hold him for a little while before we both go to sleep," she said gently. Yugi sighed and carefully handed Atemu to his friend, who looked just as enchanted by the little Prince as Yugi had been. "He's so small," Mokuba said, before looking up at Crystal in fear. "What if you lose him? What if he crawls away and we can't find him?" he asked seriously, and Crystal hid a smile.

"Mokuba, he won't be able to move on his own for some time. Besides, there will always be someone there to watch him in case something does happen, and I'll be there most of the time too," she said with a smile at the relieved look on Mokuba's and Yugi's (who had also appeared quite terrified at the prospect of losing Atemu) faces.

Seto raised an eyebrow. "You'll be there most of the time?" he asked, although he'd known that she was going to do that.

Crystal nodded, returning her baby to her arms. "I'm not going to let my baby be raised by strangers. A child needs to be with his parents, not raised by nursemaids and guards. I've already spoken with Yami about this, and I absolutely refuse to be a mother in name only," she said stubbornly, cuddling Atemu closer.

Yami sighed, and rested his hand on his wife's shoulder. "Crystal, I already promised you that our child would be yours to raise. And no-one can say otherwise. There are benefits to being Pharaoh," he said with a dry smile.

Crystal then turned around to look at him. "And you're going to help me," she declared. "Pharaoh or not, you are going to be a proper father to this baby, and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it," she said stubbornly, and Seto chuckled. He remembered telling Yami that his marriage would be 'interesting' due to Crystal's stubbornness and this was one such occasion where she demonstrated that she was going to win, Pharaoh or not.

Yami looked slightly surprised, but nodded. "I know my love, thought I wouldn't have it any other way," he said with a smile as he gently stroked his son's cheek. Crystal beamed at him, and then yawned. She blushed as the others all looked at her. "Oh, excuse me. But I am sleepy," she murmured, and a maid rushed over to take the little Prince and put him in a small bed prepared for him while Crystal slept. Yugi and Mokuba then moved off the bed, and Crystal smiled at them and thanked them for visiting. They seemed a little sad to be leaving so soon, but as Seto ushered them out he explained that they could visit again tomorrow when Crystal wasn't so tired. Besides, it was nearly dinnertime.

Crystal then snuggled down into her bed, too exhausted to think about eating. She just wanted to sleep until morning. She could just eat then. Yami gently smoothed her hair away from her face, smiling at her. "Darling, I'll come back here later, after I've eaten and informed the court that tomorrow there will be no court except for urgent matters," he said, leaning over to kiss her softly.

She yawned again. "Ok then. I'll see you when I wake up then," she said sleepily, before closing her eyes, practically falling asleep right away. Yami stayed and watched her for a few moments, and then moved over to look at their son. He smiled in contentment, then quietly left the room.

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3 years later, Crystal was awoken by a small hand tugging on her sheets, and an insistent little voice. "Mama! Wake up!"

The young Queen of Egypt opened her eyes to find herself practically nose-to-nose with Atemu, who was staring intently at his mother with his purple eyes. "Mama! Yug's bein mean!" he protested, continuing to tug on the sheets.

She sighed and sat up, glancing around to the other side of the bed. "Atemu, where is your father?" she asked, turning her attention back to her 3-year-old.

Atemu frowned. "I don' know; I think the big room," he said, meaning the throne room. Atemu had inherited quickness from both sides of his family, and had learned to speak at an alarming rate. Sure, his speech wasn't perfect, but he could communicate what he wanted to. He shortened words when he needed too, and often made up names for people, like for Akunadin, which he couldn't pronounce. He didn't seem to be able to pronounce 'grandfather' either, and just called Isaac (who was of course enchanted by his little grandson, and often travelled to court just to see him) 'granpa'. "But Mama, Yug's bein mean to me!"

Crystal sighed again. "Atemu dear, what happened?" she asked wearily. "And what time is it sweetie?"

Atemu frowned again in thought, his expression the mirror image of his father. "Lunch is soon, Mama. Papa said to wake you 'p," he said proudly. Crystal mentally cursed Yami for that: it was his fault she was so tired in the first place. "And Yug' jumped out of a pot 'n scared'd me!" he complained, and Crystal sighed again. "Well, Atemu, you are supposed to be with Mahaado this morning, so please go tell him. I need to get dressed, and then I will go talk to Yugi and your father," she said, smiling at her son, who beamed at her and disappeared again. She shook her head in amusement. "He is so much like his father," she said to herself before moving over to her dresser. A smirk lit her face as she slid her bracelets onto her wrist. _'Oh, this is going to be fun...'_

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A short while later, a woman's piercing shriek was heard in the throne room. Yami winced as he heard it, and rather reluctantly moved off his throne to approach his possible attacker. "Crystal, darling, what is it?"

Crystal was looking rather unimpressed, though Isis found it amusing that she managed to look completely awake and stunning as always while actually being dead-tired. "Don't you dare 'darling' me!" she snapped back, jabbing a finger into her husband's chest.

Yami fought to keep the smile off his face, as he knew she was more likely to attack him if he did smile. "Crystal, what is wrong?"

She glared at him, and jabbed him again for good measure. "Atemu woke me up this morning, asking me to stop Yugi scaring him. He said that he had looked for you, but couldn't find you. Explain to me why _your_ little brother is scaring _my_ son, and why _you_ conveniently weren't around to sort the problem out yourself."

Yami sighed. "Darling, I had nothing to do with this!" he protested, holding his hands up in surrender. Crystal's eyes narrowed at that, and he hastily explained. "Crystal, I merely got up early so as not to disturb your rest. I have been here in the throne room all day, and have not spoken to or seen Yugi or Atemu since dinner last night," he continued, hoping Atemu had not told her that Yami had sent him.

She crossed her arms. "Be that as it may, _you_ are going to go sort out this problem."

Yami sighed. "Crystal, why me?" he asked, and Seto winced. Yami then also realised his mistake, and hastily sort to rectify it. "Darling..."

Crystal puffed up, looking rather unimpressed. "Don't you 'darling' me! And I'll tell you why _you_ are going to deal with this problem. The problem is _your_ brother, Atemu is _your_ son, and _your_ friend Mahaado is the one who is supposed to be watching him," she said, glaring at said friend, who quickly left the room. The enraged Queen then continued. "_You_ are also the one who got Atemu to come and wake me up, and _you_ are also the reason I am so tired to begin with! So I suggest you go sort this out before I do something drastic," she half-threatened, and Yami beat a hasty retreat.

Some of Yami's advisors snickered, and Crystal turned on them. "What cause have you to laugh? I can easily turn my wrath upon you lot, as you are just as much to blame. If it weren't for you lot, Yami would not have been tied up here, and Atemu would not have woken me up," she snapped. The male advisors then quickly bowed their heads or turned away, muttering apologies.

Crystal looked rather smug at that, and stalked over to her seat next to Yami's throne. She then sat down, and Isis came over to sit beside her. "You know, one of these days, Yami will realise that you're not actually going to hurt him," she said in amusement.

Crystal then beamed at her friend, all trace of hostility gone from her face. "But it's so much fun!" she protested playfully.

Isis sighed. "I think Yami will not want you getting pregnant again. Act or not, you seem to take your mood swings out on him far too much, and have him running ragged. Though I must admit, it is rather entertaining to see the great Pharaoh humbled by his wife, and scrambling to do your bidding."

Crystal smiled. "I don't mean to take it out on him...sometimes...but I just get so angry sometimes and well..." she trailed off, looking slightly sad.

Isis smiled softly at that. "Do not worry, Crystal. Yami loves you, and knows that you do not always do it on purpose. Besides, you make sure that his ego never gets too large," she said with a chuckle, and Crystal also smiled. "If you want proof that he loves you, the fact that he's still here is a good sign."

Crystal winced. "I'm not that bad, am I?"

Isis laughed. "The closer you get to term, the worse you get Crystal. But you're not truly mean to him – you're just stubborn, and are ensuring that he doesn't leave the care of his son to you alone," she said. "But regardless of how you sometimes act – and trust me, you were far worse when you were carrying little Atemu – you have Yami at your beck and call. You could yell at him and embarrass him in front of the whole court of Egypt, and yet he would still come running if you asked for him, and do whatever you asked."

Crystal smiled, and looked down at her skirt at that, gently smoothing the material over her knees as she blushed like a young girl. "I know," she said softly, before placing her hands over her stomach. "I just wish this baby would hurry up and be born."

Isis looked alarmed. "You are not due for another month yet, Crystal. Do not wish a curse upon yourself."

Crystal chuckled. "Oh, don't worry Isis. I have a feeling this baby won't be around for awhile yet, but I still wish it would just be over with. I feel tired all the time, my mood swings are annoying me (even though they occur far less often then when I was pregnant with Atemu) , and I often feel as though I should strangle Yami for putting me through this," she said, though her cheeky grin indicated that the last was not said in seriousness.

Isis chuckled. "You are partly to blame for allowing him into your bed, Crystal," she said in amusement, and the young Queen blushed. Isis then glanced over Crystal's shoulder. "Ah, it looks like your darling husband found his mischievous little brother and his friend," she said, looking rather amused at the downcast expression on the friends' faces. She also noticed that Yami looked rather happy at having found another target for Crystal's ire.

But the twinkling expression on Crystal's face told Isis that he wasn't going to get off that easily. But for appearance's sake, she turned on the two 11 year olds and proceeded to lecture them, after which they turned a rather nice shade of red and beat a hasty retreat.

Yami turned triumphantly to his wife, sure that she was no longer angry at him. However, her frown told him otherwise. "Don't think I'm done with you," she warned. "You haven't wormed your way out of a punishment yet," she said, then spoiled the grumpy effect by smiling slightly. Yami however was too busy pouting to notice, and sat down on his throne to sulk, much to the amusement of Isis, Seto, and Mana.

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Unfortunately, such antics were not to last. After a discussion in Council, it became apparent that one of the neighbouring lords was feeling a little rebellious, and was subtly trying to take over certain areas of Egypt. Although Yami hated to leave his wife behind, especially when she was so close to giving birth, as Pharaoh he was required to lead his army and, to put it bluntly, crush the invaders. He was gone for just over two weeks – the lord suddenly found a reason to be elsewhere upon realising he faced the Pharaoh and his entire army.

Also, true to Crystal's predictions, her baby was born early – in fact, the baby was born the day before Yami was due to return. Yami had received the news (via a fast messenger) that his wife had gone into labour, on his way home and had then ordered a forced march in order to see his wife and second child.

The moment he arrived at the palace, Yami left his soldiers and their horses in the care of Joey and the stable masters, and rushed to his wife's side. It was mid-afternoon, the day after Crystal had given birth (he hadn't been far from the palace when he ran into the messenger). He knocked on the door of her quarters, and heard a soft 'come in.' Eager to see his wife, Yami then entered the room.

Crystal was sitting up in her bed, nuzzling her sleeping child with her nose. She looked up as Yami entered the room, and a delighted smile lit her face. "Yami, you're back!" she said, looking relieved and pleased at the same time.

Yami then quickly moved to kiss her softly in greeting. "Yes, we managed to stop the invaders. Actually, they practically started running when they saw us," he said in amusement before looking at the baby. "And it seems that I am back not a moment too soon. You just couldn't wait for me, could you?" he asked, pretending to be hurt.

She laughed. "I am so sorry, my lord, that this baby did not wait for the great Pharaoh," she said teasingly, and Yami frowned at her. "Sorry darling, but you know I love to antagonize you," she said softly, kissing him again.

He pouted. "A fact of which I remain painfully aware after the last few months Crystal," he said, sounding cross.

Crystal laughed. "Then it will no doubt annoy you further to know that I was faking most of my mood swings this time around. I was only pretending for most of the times I was mad at you," she said, grinning again at the shocked look on Yami's face.

Yami then closed his mouth, though he still looked surprised. "You truly take such delight in hurting me?" he asked, sounding wounded.

She smiled. "Sorry Yami, but its so easy to tease you. No, this time around my baby was nicer to me and didn't cause me half as many mood swings, did you sweetheart?" she said, cooing to her newborn as she did so.

Yami raised an eyebrow at her, still looking slightly upset, and she blushed. "Oh, you'll survive dear. And I forgot to introduce you, didn't I?" she asked sheepishly. "Yami, meet your daughter," she said, handing the baby over to him.

Yami stared down at the little girl in his arms, and, just like with his son, immediately fell in love with her. "By the gods, she's even smaller than her brother was," he said in wonder, and Crystal smiled. "She looks just like you, Crystal," he said, gently tracing a finger across the tiny girl's cheek. She stirred at that, and opened her eyes to reveal their soft blue colour. She blinked up at her father for a few moments, and then yawned and went back to sleep with no further acknowledgement.

Crystal chuckled at the bewildered look on Yami's face. "Oh yes, she is definitely like me," she said in amusement.

Yami frowned briefly at his wife before handing their precious daughter back to her mother. "Well, what is her name?"

Crystal smiled. "I was waiting for you to return before I named her. I was thinking...of naming her after my mother," she said quietly, and Yami gently squeezed her shoulders.

"I think Charlotte is a good name for our daughter," he said softly. "Speaking of which, has your father been contacted?"

Crystal nodded, her attention absorbed once again by her daughter. "He actually arrived here a few days ago. He took Atemu with him on a tour of the temples in the area. They should be back sometime today – they stayed with the temple of Bastet last night rather than return here to the palace. Isis sent a fast messenger to tell the news, and they should be back soon," she said softly, smiling at little Charlotte.

Indeed, true to her words, less than an hour had passed before there was knocking at the door, followed by Atemu's excited squeals. "Mama!"

She called out that they could come in, and Atemu bounded into the room, rushed over to the bed, and climbed up to sit next to his mother. His grandfather moved at a much less energetic pace, and came over to kiss his daughter's cheek. "Hello my dear," he said in greeting, before his attention turned to his second grandchild.

Meanwhile, Atemu was staring at the baby. "Mama, who's this?" he asked curiously, a slight frown crossing his young features. He'd known his mother was pregnant, and Crystal had patiently explained that that meant a new baby was coming (which was why Atemu was so excited), but he obviously felt a little apprehensive now that the baby was actually here in his mother's arms.

Crystal smiled at her son. "Atemu, this is your little sister, Charlotte," she said, turning the baby so her first-born could see it better. She then tensed slightly, prepared for an outbreak of that awful sibling rivalry she'd heard so much about.

But Atemu didn't frown, didn't say he hated the baby, and didn't act jealous at all. Instead, he grinned again. "She's pretty," he said, beaming down at the little Princess. "She's like you Mama!" he said proudly, quite in awe of the small baby.

Crystal smiled at her son's compliment. "Yes, she is quite pretty, isn't she?" she said, feeling herself relaxing. Atemu honestly looked enchanted by his little sister, and when he asked if he could hold her, Crystal said yes, after showing him how to do it properly.

Isaac smiled at his granddaughter. "Charlotte?" he asked softly, sounding a little sad.

Crystal nodded. "This way, Mum will always be there," she said quietly. "I know she would have loved to see my children," she said sadly, before quickly changing the subject to lighter things.

Over the next few days, Crystal and Charlotte had a stream of visitors. Crystal had refused to see anyone until after her husband and son saw the new baby, so no-one else had seen little Charlotte. The new heir to the Isirian throne (4) enchanted all of her visitors, particularly Mokuba and Yugi, who fought over who would get to hold the little princess first.

Over the next few weeks, Yami was a near permanent fixture by his wife's side. The only way he left her side was if his advisors practically dragged him away from her. He knew his duty, but he much preferred to spend his time with his wife and newborn. Eventually he conceded to the inevitable, but he still spent as much time as possible with his family.

Atemu had also rarely left his mother's side, and Crystal wondered if he wasn't a little jealous of the attention his sister was receiving – after all, he didn't remember that he had been fussed over just as much when he was a baby too. However, it was obvious to all that Atemu doted on his little sister and just wanted to spend time with her and his mother, as he always wanted to hold Charlotte, and he loved to just watch her when she was sleeping in her little bed.

He was also fiercely protective of the little princess, as was shown when Yugi accidentally held her wrong as he was talking to Mokuba. Much to the surprise and amusement of his parents, Atemu had charged over to his uncle and demanded that Yugi take better care of his sister or he'd be in big trouble. Yugi had also been rather astonished at the determination on Atemu's face, and had quickly returned the baby to Crystal, who still looked rather amused.

Yami had chuckled and ruffled his son's hair, while Crystal declared that Atemu was most definitely Yami's son. Atemu had looked rather proud of himself at that, as he doted on his father and wanted to be just like him.

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When Charlotte was almost a year old, Crystal was walking with her in the gardens, trying to ignore the guards hovering over her shoulder. There had been an assassination attempt on the Queen a month or so earlier, and Yami, true to his over-protective self, had organised round-the-clock security for her in addition to the guards she had usually had with her. Now that she had Charlotte with her as well, there were even more guards with the Queen.

Once Crystal settled herself down on the fountain, Charlotte still in her arms, many of the guards dispersed to guard the entrances to the garden, in addition to the guards already stationed there. Crystal sighed as she watched them – she found the guards a nuisance, and knew that they could be of much better use to the palace's security elsewhere. However, she knew Yami was just worried about her, and so put up with it.

Another reason for having so many guards suddenly introduced himself, as the energetic 4-year-old Atemu raced into the garden, looking extremely proud of himself. "Mama, mama!" he called, beaming from ear to ear.

Crystal shifted her hold on Charlotte, and turned to look at her son. "What is it Atemu?" she said, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice. She had come to the garden in order to practice her magic – particularly, her magical shields. It had become apparent that she really needed to revise that particular branch of her magical abilities.

It seemed that she had succeeded in hiding her annoyance, for Atemu's smile didn't fade for a moment. "Mama, I beat Mahaado!" he trilled, looking excited.

Crystal looked surprised at that, but quickly hid it. "You did? Oh, I'm so proud of you!" she said, hugging her son with one arm while being careful not to squash Charlotte. Mahaado had decided to play some simple card games and the like with Atemu that morning to keep him occupied and to give him something fun to do while teaching him at the same time.

Another voice spoke up, announcing Yami's entry into the garden. Evidently, he'd been following his son. "Atemu, there's no need to gloat. Mahaado was just tired, and you may have hurt his feelings by cheering so much," he scolded, though the smile on his face showed he didn't real mean it.

Mana, who had just appeared, thoroughly startling a few of the guards, strode over to the royal family, grinning. "You're wrong there Yami; Mahaado's fine. Sure, he's sulking a little, but he'll be fine," she said, smiling at Atemu.

Atemu beamed. "Hi Mana!" he said happily. Atemu quite liked Mana, and seemed to look on her as a sort of older sister. Indeed, there had been an amusing incident last week when Akunadin had been scolding Mana for some fault or another, and Atemu had leapt between them to defend her, saying that 'no-one should yell at Mana that way!'

She smiled at the little prince. "Hello Atemu, Crystal, Yami," she said, inclining her head to each of them. Atemu then turned his attention to his father. "See, 'haado's fine!" he said triumphantly. Yami sighed, and then smiled at his son. "Well, good on you for beating him. You're a very clever boy," he said, and Atemu beamed at the praise.

Atemu then bounded over to Mana. "Mana, can you _please_ show me some more magic tricks today? They're so cool!" he begged, and Yami and Crystal both raised an eyebrow at the young magess.

Mana looked rather sheepish. "Hey, I was told to keep him busy a few days ago. What else could I do?" she said, and Crystal's frown deepened.

"I hope you didn't show him anything too dangerous," she said, frowning at her friend.

Mana looked indignant at that. "Certainly not! I just showed him some little showy tricks – you know, little sparkles of light, sleight-of-hand, moving objects around without touching them...just simple little things like that."

Crystal smiled at that. "Well, that's alright. How about you show us all some magic tricks then, Mana? I admit, it would be nice to see magic used as entertainment for a change," she said softly, as Yami came to sit beside her on the fountain. Atemu sat at his parents' feet, and cheered as Mana used her staff to summon little sparkles of light in all different colours.

However, as she watched the display, and showed the same delight as her husband, Crystal could not shake the foreboding feeling in the pit of her stomach. About halfway through Mana's act, she suddenly heard a soft feminine voice in her head. _'Do not worry my dear. Your enemy will not strike for a few more years yet, and you will be prepared when he does.'_

Crystal breathed a sigh of relief at that, causing Yami to look at her strangely. Yet she remained unaware of her husband's reaction. '_Thank you, Mother,'_ she thought to herself, smiling as she glanced up at the sky. Years of being exposed to magic meant she did not question the sudden appearance of those words in her mind, nor did she doubt the truth of them.

'_Then we have at least a few years of peace together; a few years to enjoy the presence of family; and a few years to simply live,'_ the Queen of Egypt thought to herself, smiling. What would come would come, and she would be ready for it when it did. But for now, she was simply going to enjoy having her family around her. She smiled down at Atemu, who turned around to beam at his mother when Mana paused for a moment in her spell casting, and turned her head to look at Yami, who kissed her softly.

'_Yes, life is good,'_ she thought to herself as she looked down at little Charlotte, who smiled in her sleep. She kissed her daughter's forehead, then turned her attention back to Mana's display.

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(1) These people are all members of Yami's court in the Egyptian arc, though obviously some of them have made up backgrounds (Karim for example) to suit my story. Also, though the Millennium Items have come into the story, they will not play a major role. Both the guardians/priests and Items were just brought in to show that they do actually exist, and that Yami really has changed since he met Crystal. He's more organised, trusts more, and is more passionate about everything – i.e. protecting Egypt. So he created the council and now uses the other Items.

(2) Yet another manga reference. Mana sneaks into somewhere (I forgot where), and freezes the guards to get past them. When she is discovered, there is a funny little conversation between herself and Mahaado where she realises that she can't unfreeze them.

(3) I didn't know Atem was Yami's real name when I started this story, but since I know now, I decided to bring it in. Atemu (slight difference to Atem, and what some believe is the correct version of Yami's name) seems a cute name for their kid after all (shrugs) For the purpose of this story, Yami's real name is Atem, but his nickname as a child was Yami (because of his mischievous nature, as I think Yami means 'dark one'), and the name stuck when he became Pharaoh – mostly because he willed it to be so. Few even know he had another name. Crystal explains more about this in the actual story.

(4) Charlotte would be appointed Queen when Isaac died, because Crystal is Queen of Egypt, and thus could not rule a different country (therefore, her daughter inherited her position – there still needs to be a Queen after all). Crystal could be appointed as regent for Charlotte if needed, but Charlotte is now the actual heir. Atemu is not the Isirian heir because he is the male first-born, and will thus be the next Pharaoh of Egypt. So the position fell to the couple's second born – Charlotte.

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Angel: So ends chapter 22 – there is now 2 more chapters to go. It was hard to find a point to finish this chapter, but I think I did alright. Once again, apologies for how much time passed, but I think I did a good job of making it flow smoothly.

Y.Ang: Oh well, at least you finished the chapter. And it's a nice long one too, for a change. In fact, its easily the longest yet! (feeling supportive)

Angel: But I go back to school on Wednesday :(

Y.Ang: (sighs) Oh well. You'll survive

Angel: But its Year 12! My last year of school! And I really need to study heaps this year! (panicking)

Y.Ang: (unsympathetic)

Angel: (glares) Anyway, as I posted in my profile thingy, this means that updates will be rather slow this year for this story, as I really need to concentrate on my school work. I'll try to update as often as I can, but it will most likely not be until the holidays and such. I'll do my best though!

Y.Ang: Please review! Angel likes reviews! And she will reply to them, because she loves you guys so much:)

C YA!! Angel


	23. Disaster Strikes

(Yami enters the room to find Angel laughing hysterically while coming dangerously close to falling off her chair, Yami Ang laughing so hard she has to use the desk to support herself, and Crystal rolling around on the floor laughing)

Yami: What the hell? O...o;;

Girls: (continue laughing hysterically for several minutes)

Yami: (sweatdrops) Ok, I think I'm going to leave now.

Y.Ang: (stops laughing for a few brief seconds) Yugios: They're Yugi-licious! (collapses in laughter again)

Yami: (MASSIVE sweatdrop) I'm worried...

Angel: (wipes a tear away from her eyes, and somehow stops laughing) Sorry Yami, but one of my friends recently showed me the most hysterical series of YuGiOh parodies I have ever seen. Its one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time.

Crystal and Y.Ang: All hail LittleKuriboh! (still laughing hysterically)

Yami: (still sweatdropping) Who gave you girls sugar?

Angel: I was home alone this morning, and raided the freezer for ice-cream (giggles)

Yami: -...- Oh great (sighs) Suppose I'll have to be the sane one that introduces this story then?

Girls: (have started watching another episode, and are thus ignoring Yami as they laugh some more)

Yami: -...- Fine then. I'm sure that if she was currently sane, Angel would like to apologise for the no doubt long wait, and thank those of you who stuck by her and are still reading the story. Also, I'm sure she would organise someone to do the disclaimer...

Atemu: (bounces into the room, beaming) Angel no own YuGiOh! She owns Mama, Granpa, Charlotte, Granpa's home, the bad guys, and me! (collapses with giggles and bounces over to the computer with the girls)

Yami: -...- I suppose I should be glad that at least one of our offspring didn't inherit Crystal's strangeness...(eyes widen as Charlotte enters the room) Oh please, please don't start acting like your mother!

Charlotte: (eyes widen) Huh? I'm only a baby in the story at the moment! Besides, we all know I'm the one most like Crystal (looks at Yami as though he is the living incarnation of ignorance)

Yami: (sighs) Anyway, moving right along...Angel said earlier to me (when she was still somewhat sane...) that she thinks this chapter will be a rather long one too – which it is. 15 pages on her computer in fact, so she is quite proud of herself. Though, I'll warn you now, the ending is nothing like the beginning...(is prevented from saying more as Charlotte puts her hand over his mouth, reminding him not to give away the plot)

Angel: (recovers sanity for a few brief seconds) Oh yeah, remember how I said in my profile that I wouldn't be posting until the holidays? Well, today is the first day of holidays, and I'm posting the chapter! I kept a promise regarding a fanfiction. Yay for me:D (starts laughing at computer again)

Yami: (escapes from Charlotte and sighs) Yeah, about her profile, Angel said that she might still update that with news and that every now and again, even when she isn't posting stories. Just to let you guys know she's still alive, and let you know how her stories are going. Anyway, on with the story!

Charlotte: Enjoy :)

**Lonely Heart In Egypt**

Chapter 23: Disaster Strikes

Crystal raced through the palace, her dress billowing out behind her as she chased her energetic almost-9-year-old son through the corridors. "Atemu, you'd better stop running and go to your lessons, or you're going to be very sorry!" she screeched as she rounded a corner, almost running headlong into Seto. She skidded to a halt. "Oh, sorry Seto! I was just trying..."

"To catch Atemu?" Seto finished for her, looking amused. He then nodded in the direction of the large ceramic pots to his left. "Try there, my lady," he murmured, before hurrying off to escape being caught in the storm about to strike the unsuspecting Prince of Egypt.

Crystal moved over to the pots, a disapproving expression already set on her face as her lips turned down in a definite frown. After studying the pots for a few moments, she suddenly leaned over one of them, raising her eyebrow as she peered down at the guilty expression of her son. "You wouldn't be trying to hide from your mother would you?" she asked sternly, though amusement coloured her tone as her son guiltily tried to remove himself from the pot. To her great amusement, he somehow got himself stuck half way.

He had managed to get his head out of the pot, but his shoulders were stuck. He then frowned; he'd been sure the pot was large enough. One glance at his mother proved his suspicions. "Mum! Let me out!" he protested, knowing that she had magically shrunk the hole to keep him trapped.

Crystal's eyes twinkled. "But you were so eager to avoid lessons, I thought you would want to stay in that pot," she said playfully, making no effort to release her son from his prison.

"Mum!" he whined, and she unsuccessfully tried to keep from smiling. The thing was, Atemu looked so funny with only his head sticking out of the pot.

She ended up chuckling and ruffled his hair, something the young Prince hated. "Well, maybe you won't be so eager to hide from your lessons now, huh Atemu?" she said teasingly, grinning at her son's look of annoyance.

"But Mum!" Atemu whined again, struggling to escape his prison. Crystal then suddenly felt a small tug at her skirt, and looked down to see her little 5-year-old daughter looking up at her. "Mama, why is 'temu in a pot?" she asked seriously, her large blue eyes staring curiously at her brother.

"That is a rather good question, Charlotte," a new voice said, coming up behind the small Princess and sweeping her up into his arms. "Hello Princess," Yami said as he smiled at his young daughter.

"Hello Daddy," she said happily, throwing her little arms around his neck. Yami then moved her so that she was settled on one hip, and stepped forward so that he was beside his wife. "Seto passed me earlier and said I should continue this way to try and stop a thunderstorm. I told him I doubted such a thing was within my capabilities," he said doubtfully, looking meaningfully at his wife. She blushed. "Well, if you didn't annoy me so much," she muttered, knowing he referred to his complete inability to get her to do anything simply because he 'ordered' it.

Atemu let out another wail of protest then, causing both his parents to look at him. Yami just shook his head, and handed Charlotte to his wife. "Well, Atemu, I'd say this is a pretty good reason to go to lessons," he said in amusement as he bent over so that he was eye-level with his distraught son.

Crystal raised an eyebrow at that. "Yami, I have rather reliable sources that you did the exact same thing as a child. In fact, that's where your fear of snakes comes from – you jumped, without looking I might add, into a pot once, and a snake bit you," she said, and smiled as Yami looked rather sheepish. "Who told you that?" he asked. (1)

"Shimon told me the story of how you always used to hide in pots to get away from your lessons. He also told me the snake story," she said, still sounding amused. Charlotte seemed to flinch as Crystal mentioned 'snake', and Crystal soothingly rubbed her daughter's back. Since an attempted assassination on the little princess the year before, she was absolutely terrified of snakes. Someone had snuck a snake into her bed, but Charlotte had somehow managed to escape both her bed and her room without being bitten. Crystal had a strong suspicion that Charlotte had somehow magically stunned the creature in her fright when she realised it was about to bite her.

Anyway, back to Atemu's current drama. Atemu appealed to his father, his eyes pleading. "Dad, can you please make Mum let me go?" he whined, looking over at his sister. "Charlotte, help me!" he pleaded.

Charlotte frowned at her brother, the image of her mother. "You shouldn't be in the pot anyway, 'temu," she said crossly, and Crystal stifled a chuckle at the astonished looks on both Atemu's and Yami's faces.

Atemu looked indignant. "But Charlotte!" he howled, looking rather upset that Charlotte had sided against him. Yami was just shocked at what Charlotte had said.

Meanwhile, Crystal beamed at her daughter. "Aww, she is just like me!" she said proudly. "I really do finally have someone on my side!" she said in delight, and Charlotte smiled happily. Both women then turned back to face the boys; Atemu still looked indignant, and Yami was staring at them with his mouth agape. "Oh gods no, there's another one!" he moaned, and Atemu winced for his father as the eyes of both women turned wrathfully on him.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Crystal said warningly, eyes narrowing. Yami gulped at the look in her eyes. "I was merely joking, my love," he said hastily, appealing to Atemu for help. Charlotte was also glaring at her father. "You shouldn't say things like that to Mummy!" she said sternly, narrowing her pretty eyes. Although she wasn't sure what the meaning of her dad's words were, her mother's tone of voice told her that it hadn't been that nice, and thus she was angry with him.

Yami quickly admitted defeat, and came over to kneel in front of his wife. "Oh my beautiful darling, I pray that you will find it in your ever-suffering heart to forgive me my harsh, thoughtless words," he said, staring up at her with a wounded, puppy-dog-eyes expression.

Crystal gently put Charlotte on the ground, and the small girl hurried over to her brother's side, poking the pot as she tried to figure out what had happened to it.

Meanwhile, Crystal looked down at Yami, who had just taken her hand in his and kissed it. "Well, I'm not sure I can forgive you just yet," she said, pretending to be haughty.

Yami kissed his wife's hand again. "Oh my beautiful darling, would more compliments ease your coldness towards me?" he asked, still looking up at her with the same expression, though she could tell he was struggling not to laugh. But still, he had learned over the last few years that no matter how mad she was at him, she just couldn't resist those eyes.

Hey, she was only human.

She shrugged. "Oh, it might," she said casually, cursing inwardly as Yami smirked at her. He knew that he'd got her with his eyes, and that whatever slight anger she'd felt towards him had all but disappeared. _'Damm him,' _she thought, though she didn't really mean it.

"Oh my beautiful angel, you who mean more to me than life itself, I pray that your kind and loving heart will forgive this poor wretch in love," he said clearly, staring up at her with that expression again. "I love you so much, my Queen. You are more beautiful than anything I have ever seen before, and I am honoured by merely being allowed to look upon that gorgeous face – and honoured even more so to be allowed in your presence," he said, kissing her hand again.

She pulled her hand out of his reach, rolling her eyes at his over-exaggerating. "Flattery will get you anywhere," she said, though she still smiled. _'If this is how he acts over a minor thing like this, it makes a girl think what he would do if I was really angry at him,'_ she thought with a playful grin. "Alright, I forgive you, you rogue," she said, and he got to his feet and kissed her. "Thank you, my beloved lady," he said, grinning at her. Seto had warned him years ago that Crystal would be a handful, but Yami had learned ways to deal with her. She didn't win every single argument now – Yami would often have the upper hand, though he only achieved this by melting her anger towards him (something he was quickly becoming an expert at)

Meanwhile, Charlotte and Atemu were both completely ignoring their parents, as Charlotte tried to figure out a way to rescue Atemu. She eventually gave up, and started to stare sorrowfully at her mother.

"Mum, let me out!" Atemu suddenly shrieked, and both his parents turned around to look at him. Seeing the puppy-dog eyes on both her children caused Crystal to finally give in. "Alright, alright! But Atemu, if I catch you trying to avoid lessons again..." she said warningly as she cast her spell and enabled her son to escape his temporary prison.

Atemu nodded, though he was looking sulky again. "Yes, Mother," he said, the look on his face identical to his father's infamous scowl. Crystal just shook her head in amusement at that, and pointed to Charlotte. "Atemu, please take your sister to the nursery before you go off to your lesson," she said, and Atemu grudgingly took his sister's hand and took her off to the 'nursery', which was actually just the children's play room.

Crystal chuckled. "Those two are both exactly like us," she said in amusement, remembering Atemu's scowl, and Charlotte's reaction to Yami's earlier words. "Atemu especially is like you – his scowl is just as cute," she said with a teasing grin.

Yami's scowl was fixed on her. "My scowl is not cute!" he protested, glaring at her.

Crystal grinned. "I will be the judge of that, dearest. And it is."

"Is not," he replied, sulking. "Anyway, I should be off to greet Ishtar, as I was originally doing before Seto found me," he said, feeling cranky again. He hadn't slept well the night before, and it was showing.

Crystal laughed, proving that she wasn't angry at him. "Darling, your fuse seems to be so short at the moment that you're more likely to kill him for some off-hand comment than greet him. How about I go meet Ishtar, and you go have a nap?" she said teasingly, poking her husband in the ribs.

Yami glared at her, feeling sulky again. "It's your fault I didn't get any sleep," he grumbled, and she grinned. "You didn't help matters much yourself, you rogue," she said, raising an eyebrow at him.

Yami blushed, and coughed. "Fine, you can go and meet Ishtar. But try to stop that casual flirting with him – I'm sick of people gossiping that you are having an affair," he said with a frown, the slightest hint of jealously colouring his tone.

Crystal sighed. She just treated Ishtar as a dear friend, but so many nobles read far deeper into that than she liked. She knew that Yami didn't believe the malicious gossip, but he still felt slightly jealous of the attention she spent on Ishtar – after all, his wife was quite good friends with the man, and had almost married him several years earlier. "I am sorry," she said simply, before kissing his cheek. "Let's go see which festival he kidnapped this time to announce his arrival," she said dryly.

Yami smiled slightly at her reference to Ishtar's entrances – he sometimes brought so many people with him, that each such entrance was like a festival on its own. He then yawned, causing Crystal to laugh and kiss him again. "Aww, poor baby," she said sympathetically. "I order you to go have a nap while I meet Ishtar," she said, poking him in the ribs again as he opened his mouth to retort.

Yami glared at her, feeling sulky again. "Don't order me around," he said crossly, looking rather adorable with his pout, and Crystal said as much, earning her yet another scowl.

She kissed Yami's cheek again before bounding off down the corridor. "Try not to be so grumpy all the time!" she called back cheerfully as she disappeared around the corner.

Yami scowled again. "Hrmph, I still maintain that last night was entirely her fault," he said crossly before turning to go have a quick rest in his quarters.

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Crystal slowed her pace as she entered the entrance hall of the palace, and caught her breath before she moved outside. Her timing was impeccable, as Ishtar was just climbing down from his carriage. He looked over at her and smiled warmly. "Ah Your Highness, it is wonderful to see you again," he said pleasantly, calming walking to her side and bowing as he kissed her hand.

Crystal smiled. "Oh Ishtar, how many times must I tell you to call me by my name?" she asked as she curtsied in reply. "It is good to see you too, King Ishtar," she said cheerfully, before kissing his cheek.

This action stirred a response among the servants, and Crystal glanced over at them. "You know, you could at least wait until I'm out of earshot before you start spreading nasty rumours about my honour," she said pleasantly, and several of the servants ducked their heads and looked away nervously.

Ishtar chuckled. "Ah, how I have missed your blunt and refreshing sense of humour," he said dryly, as they began walking towards the gardens – Crystal, as Queen, was often expected to entertain guests until Yami could see them.

She glanced over at him. "I think that if Yami hears you calling it refreshing, he may force you to see several of the palace's physicians," she said dryly, and Ishtar laughed.

He then waved a finger at her in admonishment. "Nonsense, I'm sure Yami is far more endeared of you and your odd ways than I," he said seriously. "The Pharaoh loves you, and thus he accepts and appreciates every part of you...some more than others, I hear," he said playfully, his eyes flicking up and down as he watched her.

Crystal blushed, and casually swatted him. "Rogue! You are as bad as he!" she half-shrieked in outrage, though her antics made him laugh again.

"Well, at the very least you are very entertaining to be around...of course, I'm sure that Yami knows that far better than I," he said with a sly grin.

Crystal's blush deepened. "Married for over 9 years, and people still make jokes about us," she muttered, pretending to be cross as she swatted Ishtar again. He ducked out of the way, still smiling at her.

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And so it was that some time later, Yami found the pair reminiscing; sitting side by side in the gardens. Crystal glanced over at him as she heard him arrive, and her face lit up with delight. She ran over to him, kissing him in greeting. "I see you have recovered from your earlier tiredness, my lord," she said playfully, and Yami frowned lightly at her before kissing her again.

She then glanced at his earrings. "I've told you countless times, my love, to change those earrings. They are far too like the ones you gave me for my birthday two years ago," she said with a pout.

Ishtar walked over to the couple, smiling. "Well, Yami, you should know better than to try and upstage your wife," he said, and Yami returned his smile.

"Hello to you also, Ishtar," he said before turning his attention back to his wife. "Darling, I am not to blame for traditional garb. I already changed enough of my attire and the clothes of my court to suit your desires," he said, frowning again. He knew perfectly well that she was merely trying to aggravate him, as she had said to him often enough that he looked rather handsome in his traditional dress.

In case you're wandering, Yami had changed his daily outfit not long after his marriage to Crystal. He now wore a small crown amongst his unruly bangs, dangling gold earrings from his ears, a white shirt and robe with gold embroidery at the neckline, golden shoes/sandals, a flowing violet cape, gold armbands, and gold attachments to his shoulders. (In short, Yami's outfit as Pharaoh in the Memory World/Egypt arc)

Crystal frowned at him, absently fingering the locket he'd given her as a birthday present the day they got engaged. "And so you should," she said at last, and Ishtar chuckled.

"Well, Crystal, as enjoyable as it is to watch you chastising your husband, I'm afraid that I must steal him away from you to discuss the fine print of our latest trading agreement," he said with a grin at the Pharaoh.

Yami rolled his eyes. "I have told you time and time again Ishtar that we do not seek to cheat you in any way. Not only do I wish to preserve the current prosperity of Egypt, but I also do not wish to incur the wrath of my wife," he said dryly, glancing at said Queen.

Ishtar smiled. "I understand Yami – after all, you get into enough trouble with her as it is. You certainly don't need my help to incur her wrath," he said with a chuckle, but it faded as Crystal turned her gaze on him.

Fortunately for Ishtar, he was let off the hook...this time. Crystal eventually smiled sweetly at him. "Anyway, I'll leave you gentlemen to your haggling. I have no wish to sit in on this particular council. However, if I find that you have raided the kitchens for wine again..."

Yami hastily spoke over her. "Don't worry darling, it won't happen again," he promised quickly, knowing full well what would happen if Crystal found him and Ishtar completely drunk again. Crystal had a rather nasty sense of humour at times, particularly when Yami was drunk. She seemed to like punishing him.

Crystal rolled her eyes. "See that it doesn't. Remember, the servants are all on my side, and will report you!" she said cheerfully before kissing Yami's cheek and escaping towards the couple's private library.

After Crystal left, Ishtar turned towards Yami. "She can't be serious, can she?" he asked questioningly.

Yami nodded regretfully. "I'm afraid so. The servants would rat us out if they saw us. Looks like we won't be able to hide it this time," he said with a slight pout.

Ishtar snapped his fingers. "Damn. She's taking all the fun out of it," he said, sighing in regret.

Yami shrugged. "Oh well. We'll survive."

Ishtar suddenly grinned. "Yami, do you still remember that spell Isaac told us about – that one that erases the effects of drunkenness?"

Yami stared questioningly at his friend, then gasped as he realised what he meant. "Ishtar..."

"What? We could easily hide it then. Get some of the servants loyal to you to bring us some wine, and then use that spell. Even if Crystal finds out the amount of wine we 'drank', we'll still be able to hide it from her, and then she can't get mad at us!" he said excitedly. Ishtar seemed to enjoy pushing Crystal's buttons.

Yami groaned. "Ishtar, if we're caught..."

"We're so dead? Don't worry so much Yami. What's the worst she can do to us?"

Yami's only response was to look at Ishtar like he was crazy. "A certain incident, about 3 years ago, is ringing some bells," he said at last, and Ishtar sweatdropped.

"Ok, maybe she can punish us. But only if we get caught. Come on Yami, live a little!"

Yami sighed, and finally admitted defeat. "Alright Ishtar, you're on," he said at last, and Ishtar whooped and departed for the council chambers at high speed. "We're going to be _so_ dead," he said regretfully before following his friend.

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Meanwhile, seemingly unaware of Ishtar's scheme to defy her, and her husband's slightly willing participation in this plan, Crystal had immersed herself in the library near her quarters – Yami's former private library. However, since their marriage, the library had grown much larger, with works from around the country and other palace libraries joining the original pieces on the cool metal shelves.

Crystal moved to the back of the rather large room, eyes scanning the shelves as she tried to find something to capture her interest – and keep her entertained for a few hours while her husband and Ishtar got drunk and tried to cover it up (which she knew full well they would do over the course of 'negotiations')

Eventually, she came to a collection of dusty old chests which had been found in one of the palace's immense storage rooms. No-one had bothered to catalogue the contents inside, but they had still been placed in the library after it was revealed that there were several parchments inside.

Crystal opened the first chest, and brushed away some of the cobwebs as she extracted a rolled-up piece of parchment from the top. Unrolling it, it became apparent that these documents were from Yami's father's time at least, as this parchment looked newer than the rest, yet it detailed the historical details of a war that had occurred when Yami was barely more than a baby.

She continued to shuffle through the papers, trying to find something to capture her interest. She didn't feel like reading detailed histories that day.

Eventually, as she was inspecting the carvings of the newest looking chest (coincidentally, the first one she had opened), she can across a hidden compartment in the top of the chest. As her fingers ran along the carvings, they brushed a catch of some sort, and a compartment opened to reveal a scroll of parchment.

Intrigued, Crystal pried it loose from its hiding place, and carried it over to one of the cushions nearby, in order to read it in the light.

_To whomever reads this,_

_I pray you to be on the side of good – or at least on the side of my dear son, Atem, whom I pray is Pharaoh at this time. I hope that you, the reader of this document, will be able to save my son from the incredible dangers foretold in his future. _

_Below is recorded my thoughts from the time over which I realised the truth of a prophecy I heard in my youth – a truth which could destroy my son._

Crystal glanced up then, realising that the document she held in her hands was a diary entry written by Yami's father – the previous Pharaoh. She wondered what the prophecy was that he spoke of, and it hit her that it was most likely her own. If she died (which was apparently the only way to stop the prophecy from being fulfilled) she knew Yami would be devastated. She glanced down at the parchment again, and decided it couldn't hurt to know the actual details of the prophecy which told of Rames's (though she didn't know then that it was him) demise.

She had no idea how wrong she was.

_By the time you are reading this, whoever you are, I will be dead. I will soon be going to war, and I do not expect to survive. Indeed, I do not even want to. I tried to save my son, but, not knowing the details of the prophecy as I do now, have in fact doomed him. I tried to save him, but instead have forced Rames's hand. Yes, I discovered that the prophecy that speaks of the demise of the one who is trying to destroy Egypt is actually describing a councillor of my friend, Isaac. Unfortunately, I cannot warn him. I have caused enough damage as it is, and time is short._

Crystal's eyes widened. "Rames? He...he is the one...trying to kill me? Oh, by the gods! Father! He might be in danger!" she cried, about to stand up when she realised that Rames had mysteriously disappeared from her father's court not long after her marriage to Yami. But she had thought nothing of it at the time. "No doubt the two events are connected. He was probably brewing mischief, even then," she said bitterly as she returned her attention to the parchment.

_I know my wife would try to stop me going to war, but sadly, she is no longer in this world. Many moons ago, an attack was made upon Isaac's daughter, Crystal, and my wife was killed in her defence. And I have recently received word that the young Princess was attacked again, and this time _her_ mother paid the price. I thought I could forget what I had done when my wife died – though it hurt so much, and still hurts now, almost a year later – but now I cannot forgive myself. It is all my fault – my beloved wife and the wife of one of my dearest friends are both dead, because of me. _

_Rames tried to kill Princess Crystal when she was a child to stop a prophecy he heard about that said that she would be the one to stop him and save Egypt. My wife and her friend, Charlotte, discovered this prophecy, and sought to protect the child ever since. That is why they were both killed – they were defending her, believing her to be the one to save Egypt. But they are now both dead, and it is because of me._

_You see, I was the one that told Rames of the prophecy. _

_I was the one that told him that Crystal was the one destined to stop him – I tried to prevent what I knew was coming. I tried to save Atem by telling Rames a different version of the prophecy – one that would actually make it come true. At the last minute, I realised that if Crystal died, my son would still suffer – the prophecy could only come true one way, and I had nearly prevented that. In trying to save us, I may have instead killed us all. I told my wife of what I had done, and told her the truth of the prophecy – not the warped version I had given the others before. She, like me, was very upset at what it meant. But still, she forgave me. _

_I had betrayed us all, yet she forgave me. But I digress._

_Below is the true translation of the prophecy – not the one I told Isaac._

Crystal read on there, and felt tears spill from her eyes as she realised the truth. Somehow, she had known all along, but had tried desperately to deny it. She wanted to scream; wanted to defy the truth. But she knew she could not. But she didn't want to accept it.

She didn't want to lose Yami.

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Sometime later, Yami and Ishtar were sitting in the small room set out for their 'negotiating', and both were rather drunk. Yami had never been able to hold his drink well anyway, so it usually took very little to get him drunk. Ishtar's alcohol tolerance was much higher, but he'd drunk a lot more than Yami. So it balanced out. Anyway, the two of them were completely drunk. (2)

Crystal, who had recently left the nursery after talking to her children, felt a frown cross her face as she heard loud singing. A few seconds were all it took for her to realise the culprits. Sighing, she headed in the direction of the rather bad singing, and was confronted by the sight of her husband and Ishtar, arms around each other's shoulders, swaying from side to side slightly as they sang.

Crystal faltered as memories of the last hour came crashing back to her. But she pushed them aside, and summoned her resolve. Puffing up slightly, she bellowed. "What in the name of Ra is going on here?!"

The sudden outburst from the Queen had a rather comic effect on the two men. Ishtar swore and tried to jump backwards, but as it is rather difficult to jump backwards when seated, he merely succeeded in knocking the chair, and himself, over. Yami, with the classic 'deer-in-headlights' expression, was then knocked over in turn as Ishtar's flailing limbs caused Yami's already rocky balance to make him fall off his chair, and straight onto Ishtar.

Crystal merely watched the scene in amusement as, with much swearing, Ishtar and Yami disentangled themselves, and somehow got themselves upright on their chairs again. From the way Ishtar was swaying, Crystal considered it a remarkable feat that he was even still conscious, yet alone able to stand for a short period of time.

After this rather comic scene ended, Yami turned to look at his wife with wounded, yet slightly unfocused, eyes. "Darling, did you have to yell so loud?" he said eventually, swaying dangerously on his chair. Crystal just shook her head in amusement at how low her husband's tolerance for alcohol was, and didn't move forward to help him.

Ishtar on the other hand looked perfectly fine...except for his rather alarming sense of balance. He was leaning rather heavily on the table, and Crystal suddenly had the urge to nudge it with her foot and see what happened. But she didn't.

Ishtar grinned at the Queen. "Hey Crystal, what's up?" he slurred, and Crystal considered it a miracle that he was even able to form complete sentences. The Queen then shifted her gaze over the table to see how much wine they had actually drank.

Yami's wounded gaze had faded, and he looked like he was about to lose consciousness at any moment. He was staring at the table, in particular at one of the wine bottles. For you see, a drunk Yami was not necessarily a smart Yami.

The Pharaoh then somehow managed to extend his hand towards the bottle, and after a few misses, managed to grab hold of it and bring it to his mouth. As he drank a few more mouthfuls, something in his foggy memory tugged at him, telling him that something was wrong. He blinked rapidly, and eventually realised that continuing to drink was not a good idea.

He glanced over at his wife, who was still watching Ishtar attempt to grab the wine glass right in front of him with clear amusement. He blinked as he tried to focus his eyes – since when had he had two wives? "Crystal..." he slurred at last, his brain doing its best to elude him.

Crystal then turned her gaze back to Yami, and spoke in a slightly raised tone of voice. "If you're wondering why I'm not stopping you Yami, it's because you are so drunk that more wine isn't really going to hurt you...now. However, in the morning, you are both going to have a massive hangover...and I'm going to hide both the medicine and healing spell," she said sweetly, causing both men to gasp and gape at her.

This gasping also made Ishtar fall off his chair, but he didn't seem that fazed by that small detail. He was too busy staring at Crystal in sheer horror – his expression mimicked by Yami.

Crystal then chuckled. "Serves you both right for drinking so much," she said cheerfully. "Now, it's almost dinnertime, so I'll get some of the servants to bring you some food. You're both too drunk to move to the dining hall for dinner, and would only embarrass yourselves further. I might come back later to torture you further," she said sweetly, before slamming the door on her way out.

Meanwhile, Ishtar and Yami were still staring at each other in utmost horror. Yami opened his mouth to speak, forgot what he was going to say, and tried to lean on the table. Of course, his sense of balance was rather off, so he completely missed and toppled off his chair. Ishtar stared at him, unfazed, and picked up the wine bottle again.

Oh, were they both going to pay in the morning.

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Yami groaned as he woke up to blinding light shining right on his face. He groaned again as he opened his eyes slowly, and immediately rolled over away from the gods-cursed light.

A cheerful voice then spoke up. "Ah, so the great Pharaoh is finally awake! Did you have a good night's sleep, darling?" she asked sweetly as she pushed him over to face the sunlight again.

Yami moaned. "Crystal, please!" he whined, trying to fend her off while covering his eyes and trying to prevent his pounding head from moving.

He heard her sigh, and felt her move off the bed. A shadow then crossed over the sunlight, and he opened his eyes to see her standing in front of him, blocking the sunlight. An oddly sympathetic look was on her face, and she looked quite sad. But as Yami's eyes focused, the look vanished. "You know, it's your own fault for drinking so much," she scolded gently as she sat down beside him.

He was about to protest, when she handed him a glass. He sat up slightly, still trying to ignore his massive headache, and looked at the glass. He then looked back up at her, surprised. "I thought you were angry at me," he said softly, wondering at her sudden change of heart.

She smiled, though there was a hint of sadness to it. "I was. But I forgave you," she said softly as he started drinking the potion – a hangover cure.

After a few moments passed, he sighed in relief as his headache began to fade. "Crystal, I love you," he said weakly, staring up at her with something quite akin to worship in his eyes. She laughed, and he winced as the sound cut through his head. "Well, it's your own fault for looking so darn cute when sleeping...and looking so hot without a shirt," she said innocently.

Yami blushed at that, but refrained from replying by taking another drink. After he had swallowed, Crystal pulled the glass from his hands, and cut off his protests by kissing him.

Now, normally Yami wouldn't have protested to this in the slightest, but he still had a headache, it hurt to move, and Crystal, most likely on purpose, was taking full advantage of that. He made a slightly muffled protest, and she pulled away to grin at him. Despite the fact that he was trying to look annoyed at her, she could tell he was enjoying it. She just laughed again, and turned around, facing her back to him, as she tried to levitate the glass far out of Yami's reach.

Surprisingly fast for someone with a hangover, Yami sat up and wrapped his arms around his wife, gently preventing her from concentrating on moving the glass from his bedside table. However, his brain caught up with him then, causing him to wince.

Crystal chuckled again, looking amused. "Let me guess, you protest to my removing your hangover cure from you?" she said, smiling as Yami merely tightened his hold on her.

"Not really. You're my cure, all by yourself," he murmured softly before kissing her neck, causing shivers to run up her spine. It never failed to amaze her how after years of marriage he could still make her feel like a young girl experiencing her first kiss.

She tried to swat him away, knowing as well as he did that her neck was a particular weak spot of hers, and he merely shifted his head to bury himself in her hair. Which, in addition to 'annoying' her, shielded his eyes from the sun.

Sighing, and blushing slightly, she gave up. "Anyway you, we should get to council soon. That cure should have kicked in completely by then, and you will at least be able to walk. Nevertheless, you'll still have a headache and the likes. I'm not letting you off that easy."

She heard Yami groan, and felt him bury his face even further into her hair. She sighed again before grinning. "However, if it makes you feel any better, Ishtar has no such cure, and should have trouble speaking, let alone standing."

Yami chuckled, the sound slightly muffled by her hair. He then un-buried himself, speaking close to her ear. "Crystal, you are positively evil," he murmured, and she grinned before turning her head to face him. "You love it," she said with a smirk, before giving a muffled shriek as Yami pushed her backwards and captured her lips in his as he pinned her under him.

She squirmed against him, trying to escape. "You're not much better than me, rogue," she declared the moment she could, and Yami responded by smirking and kissing her again.

She then used the moment while he was distracted to push him off the bed, and he hit the floor with a dull thud. She chuckled as he moaned in pain. "Crystal, that was cruel," he whined, and she poked her head out over the bed before smiling sweetly. "Oh, you'll get over it," she said before rolling over to help him up and get him presentable for council. Of course, as the hangover faded rather quickly after that, it took a little longer to get Yami out the door. But she didn't really mind.

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A week or so later, after a rather similar scenario occurring as Crystal tried to leave their room, the royal couple were sitting and listening to their advisors prattle on about the current issues of Egypt. Crystal was looking slightly flustered, and Yami kept smirking every few moments. Mana had already picked up on this, and had snuck up behind the Queen to tease her. But Crystal was saved from further embarrassment as Charlotte came running over to claim her mother's attention.

Ignoring the argument now ensuing between Seto and Mahaado, Yami turned his head to look at his wife, his playful smirk fading into a contented smile as he watched his youngest offspring playing with her mother's hair. Yami had noticed that over the last week or so, Charlotte had rarely left her mother's side, and Atemu was nearly always with her too – and thus all three were nearly permanently attached to him. Charlotte had also been suffering from nightmares for the last few nights, and Crystal had been spending quite a long time calming the young girl down. Yami had reasoned that she was just scared and needed her mother.

But now he wondered if Charlotte had merely discovered that something big was going to happen soon. Children were very good at picking up on portents and feelings, and Charlotte, with her gifts of magic and close connection with her mother, would be even more attuned than other children to the feeling of 'something is wrong'.

The lack of any news about Rames had Yami worried. Sure, they had lost track of him quite a few years ago, but he still worried. However, he had to wonder what was provoking this out-of-the-blue panic – nothing had happened recently that should make him worried again.

He didn't know how wrong he was.

Just then, one of the servants came running into the room, looking rather frantic. Mahaado recognised him as one of his agents, and quickly walked over to meet him, looking concerned. All talk in the hall ceased as everyone turned to face the young man.

Mahaado's face then became impassive. "What has happened?" he asked quickly, snatching the parchment from the man's hand.

The servant clutched his side as he tried to regain his breath. "Master, what we have feared has arrived. Even as we speak, the army must prepare for war! Our enemy has returned, and bought his army here by magic!" he said at last, his words carrying around the silent hall.

Mahaado's eyes widened and he turned to face the equally wide-eyed guards. "What are you waiting for? MOVE!" he shouted, and his words broke the spell of the hall. People started talking and a few women screamed as the guards departed at top speed to deliver word to marshal the army.

Yami stood up, staring at his friend. Unspoken communication passed between them, and he turned to his wife, who was staring out blankly at nothing, a sad expression on her face. She had tightened her hold on Charlotte enough to almost hurt the little girl, but Charlotte was too busy clinging desperately to her mother to notice.

"Crystal, you must stay with the children in the nursery," Yami said at last as the throne room became a bustle of activity as the various nobles rushed to their positions and the like.

The Queen stood up, balancing Charlotte on her hip. Atemu clung to her skirts, looking rather afraid. "No Yami," she said sternly, and Charlotte whimpered, burying her face in her mother's shoulder.

Yami's eyes narrowed. "There will no argument, Crystal! Take the children to the nursery, now!" he snapped, his voice thundering with authority.

She glared at him. "I will not, Yami! You know that you need me for this fight. The children will be safe. But you need me!" she snapped back, refusing to be intimidated.

Yami moved forwards, looking as though he was about to strike her. He would do whatever it took to keep her out of this war – he would not let Rames harm her. But Charlotte stopped him as she let out a sob. "No! Papa, you must let Mama go! She has to help fight! She can't stay here!" she sobbed, and Atemu gave a quiet sob, muffled into his mother's skirts.

Yami's eyes hardened at that, but after a short staring competition between them, he gave in. "Crystal...I wish you wouldn't," he said at last, admitting defeat, but trying to change her mind.

She nodded. "I know. But this is something I have to do," she said softly, and Yami looked at her for another long moment before turning to find Mahaado and get a few things straightened out.

After he had gone, Crystal knelt down, and found herself being fiercely hugged by both children. "Mama, please be careful!" Charlotte begged, sobbing.

Crystal felt her own eyes filling with tears as she looked upon her children. "Charlotte sweetie, I will be. But you must remember what I told you last week. You must be strong, like Papa. You know what is coming – I wish I could spare you this, but I can't. I'm so sorry my darling," she murmured, hugging her again. She then turned to Atemu. "Be brave, and look after your sister, ok?" she said before hugging him too.

Atemu nodded before hugging his mother fiercely. "I will Mama," he said at last, trying to look as brave as possible so Mama would stop crying. "And even though you said what's coming, please be careful! And take care of Papa too!"

Crystal nodded as she hugged them both again. "I will my darlings. Remember what I told you before, keep each other safe, and do what the nurses and guards tell you."

Kissing both her children on the forehead, she then turned and walked away with a pride that almost hurt to watch. She knew that after this fight, her family would never be the same. Inwardly, she cursed the timing of the gods – her family deserved to have a few more years of happiness. But at least she knew what was coming, and had prepared for it as best she could.

Sighing, she turned her thoughts away from her children, and walked off to find Yami.

Meanwhile, in the throne room, Atemu was trying to get his sister to move. He tugged on her hand. "Charlotte, we have to go now! You heard what Mama said!" he cried, still trying desperately not to cry.

Charlotte didn't respond to her brother. Tears fell down her face as she watched her mother go. When Crystal was out of sight, she sat down and started crying again, burying her face in her hands. Atemu put his arms around his sister. "Hey Charlotte, it will be ok. You'll see," he said bravely, trying to comfort her.

She gulped, and turned to look at him, her pretty blue eyes filled with tears. "I know, but it still hurts!" she cried, but also tried to hide her tears.

"I know," Atemu said sadly. "Come on, we have to go find Ishtar – Mama said we should go stay with him," he said, gently pulling his sister to her feet. Still crying softly, she followed him.

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Sometime later, Crystal, Yami, and the army had all gathered outside the city, engaged in combat with the enemy. Yami had refused to let his wife move from the very back of their line – he said she could work her magic just as easily from there, and that he would divorce her if she moved to the front. She knew he didn't really mean it, and was just concerned for her safety, but she was worried about him too. She told him that she would be careful, and he simply kissed her and said that he loved her before running off to lead his troops as their Pharaoh.

Sighing, she turned her attention to the large flaming boulder that had just been thrown via catapult at a squadron of guards. Concentrating, she felt the boulder connect with the shield she'd just created, and it bounced back to strike at their enemy. Crystal didn't feel any joy though – instead she felt slightly sick. She was beginning to understand why war was truly a horrible thing.

She was also quite worried – this was supposed to be Rames's army, yet there had been few magical attacks (from his minions) upon the Egyptian army. She knew he was here somewhere, and wondered what he was doing.

Another boulder came hurtling towards a closer unit, but Crystal let her husband's priests deal with that. On instinct, she then glanced out towards the front lines, searching for Yami. In his place was Seto, who was yelling orders at the troops. But she couldn't see Yami anywhere. Feeling afraid, she then glanced wildly around her. Somehow, through a combination of her own feelings and her magic, she somehow teleported near him – to a place relatively distant from the battle, and facing Rames.

Her father's former advisor looked a lot different than he used to, far more 'evil', but she still immediately knew it was him. Neither man had noticed her yet, so she merely stayed put, listening to the words they shouted at each other across the space between them.

Rames was the first to speak after she arrived, his expression twisted with hate. "How dare you, Pharaoh! First you take away my wife, and now you're trying to stop me taking over Egypt – stopping me from having what is rightfully mine. You are really becoming quite a bother," he shouted angrily.

Yami didn't even flinch. "I won't let you destroy Egypt – and I definitely won't let you have Crystal," he snapped back, and Crystal felt her heart constrict slightly at the words. She turned to Rames, almost afraid of his next words.

Rames glared at him. Judging from the frustrated expression on his face, Crystal gathered that the two had been yelling at each other for some time. "How dare you have what should have been mine!" he shouted, causing Crystal's heart to stop. She had heard those words before – in her nightmares (3). She knew what was coming, but the tears falling down her face showed how much she didn't want it to happen.

Yami sighed, looking almost calm. "Because what I have now – my wife, my family, my home, my country – never belonged to you. You never even had a chance," he replied, and Crystal could feel his energies trying to construct a shield. But she had watched her Pharaoh fighting before, and knew his magic was next to exhausted.

Apparently Rames knew it too, because he smirked briefly before his face twisted in rage again. "How dare you! You have no right! Everything you have, it should be mine!" he roared, gathering his own magic to obliterate this sorry excuse of a Pharaoh. Really, the boy had no right to try and stop Rames getting what he wanted – controlling Egypt, and eventually, the world. All he had to do was crush the Pharaoh and he would win.

Crystal, knowing what the spell would do, ran forward, unable to sit and watch anymore. She ran forward, her mind furiously trying to conjure a spell, rather than sit and watch. Rames then released his spell as she screamed Yami's name.

When it connected, three people screamed. One screamed in dying pain, another in horror, and the last...the last screamed in triumph.

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(1) I have since learned, through watching some episodes of the Egypt arc, that Yami was actually almost bitten by a snake as a child, but Mahaad (or Mahaado as I call him in this story) pushed him out of the way and got bitten instead.

(2) Hmm...am I the only one who finds the idea of a drunk Yami totally hilarious? Sure, I can't write it well, but I'm sure you guys can use your own imaginations to come up with better stuff than me :P

(3) I told you I left hints! And yes, Crystal did have that dream in the actual story – see the end of chapter 16.

Angel: (is long gone)

Y.Ang: (sweatdrops) In the sense of self-preservation, Angel has left the author's notes to me. Yami and Crystal have been hidden away to prevent anyone questioning them on what happened, and I believe Atemu and Charlotte have also been hidden away to prevent them giving out the answers too, as Crystal told them this morning. So yeah, it's up to me to face the wrath of the readers for her overly dramatic and angst-y ending to this chapter (basically the last 3 pages)

Mai: (pops her head into the room) Somebody call for a temp?

Y.Ang: Yes, you get to help me do the author's notes. Please, put on this suit of armour (hands it over)

Mai: (puts it on, looking confused) Ok...wait, what did Angel do this time?

Y.Ang: (gestures to cliffhanger)

Mai: Oh! I see...so, what do we do now?

Y.Ang: (shrugs) We sit here and prevent any readers killing my hikari or attacking her computer to find out what happened – or just trying to completely destroy her for making a (so far) pretty happy story so horrible and angst-y -...-

Mai: Oh joy -...- Please review!


	24. Just the Beginning

Angel: Hello everyone! I'm back again:D

Y.Ang: And that's a good thing...why?

Angel: (glares) Because this is the last chapter of my first fanfiction – as of today, I have actually finished a fanfiction. Go me! (dances around happily)

Y.Ang: So why aren't you still hiding from reviewers?

Angel: (shrugs) Oh, they didn't seem that upset with me, and as I left my USB here, I had to come back so I could actually keep writing.

Y.Ang: -...- You never plan ahead, do you?

Angel: Nope! (grins) Anyway, suppose I should start the chapter now...after all, you guys probably want to hear the explanations...

Y.Ang: Yes they do, so let's get started. Angel does not own YuGiOh.

Angel: (pouts) Roll fic!

Note: Minimal editing has been done on this chapter – there may be mistakes and the like, as I just wanted to get it up before my holidays ended.

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Yami stared blankly ahead, kneeling on the ground. The last few minutes hadn't really registered in his mind yet, though he kept going over them again and again. He simply refused to see the truth right before his eyes – Crystal was gone.

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_Crystal pushed Yami out of the way of Rames's attack, and was hit instead. Yami's guardians all soon arrived at the scene, having been drawn there both by Crystal's scream and the sheer amount of power they had felt gathering here. One by one, they saw Crystal lying on the ground before the kneeling form of her husband, and one by one, their features showed their sorrow._

_Isis's hand flew to her mouth, and she stifled a sob. Seto looked equally stricken, and Mahaado looked stunned before trying to hide the sight from Mana, who had followed them. But he was too late, and Mana herself screamed before trying to move forward towards her friend. Mahaado wrapped his arms around her, preventing her from moving, and she struggled briefly before collapsing in tears._

_All of them, except for Mana, then turned their eyes to Yami, who was still in complete shock. He gently held his dead wife in his arms, but he had not moved since the attack. Rames then laughed, a long loud sound. The Guardians all started and turned to look at him in surprise before their features almost simultaneously dissolved into anger._

_Rames on the other hand, kept laughing. "Well well, looks like you were wrong, Pharaoh. Your pretty daughter-in-law lies dead, yet I still live. You placed all your faith in a prophecy that didn't come true! You wasted lives for no purpose, you foolish old man!" he shouted, an insane gleam to his eyes as he addressed Yami's father._

_Apparently, talking was a bad idea for him, as it caused Yami to remember that Rames was there. Gently placing his wife on the ground, he stood up, his eyes flashing with murderous rage. This...bastard had just murdered his wife! Crystal was dead because of him! "How dare you..." the Pharaoh said; his tone deadly._

_Rames didn't hear him, and just kept laughing, further fuelling Yami's anger towards him. Narrowing his eyes, Yami started to gather power, and the Millennium Puzzle began to glow with him._

"_You bastard!" he screamed before releasing his attack, his guardians adding their own power to kill this horrible man. _

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Yami didn't really remember what happened after that. All he had seen was Rames crumple, a look of shock on his face. Then, the Pharaoh of Egypt had fallen to his knees again before his beloved wife. He then collapsed in tears. His guardians gathered around him awkwardly, trying to offer comfort. Isis and Mana knelt down as well, their own eyes shining with tears.

Seeing Crystal dead caused Mana almost as much hurt as it did the Pharaoh, and she collapsed in tears. Mahaado gently pulled her to her feet, and pulled her into his arms. Seto did the same for Isis, knowing that having her there crying was unlikely to make Yami feel much better.

Yami then moved slightly to gather his wife into his arms, his tears slowly stopping as he traced her face with his hand. He felt the tears spilling again as his hand passed over her eyes, knowing that never again would he see her eyes filled with love for him; never again would he see her eyes narrowed in the way that could make him cower from her wrath; never again would he see her smile and make his whole day brighter. He moved her head to his neck, and just held her close, trying to stop the tears flowing from his eyes.

After several minutes had passed like this, he pulled away slightly and stood up, carrying her bridal-style in his arms. His guardians followed silently as Yami walked towards his palace with a sorrow that hurt to even watch.

Without the presence of their leader, Rames's army had quickly fallen into disarray, and Yami's army was steadily defeating them. But as the Pharaoh moved towards his home, every soldier that saw him and his wife stopped the fighting and stared. Each soldier fell to their knees to honour their fallen Queen, and to acknowledge their Pharaoh's grief.

But Yami did not remember any of this. He remembered nothing except picking his beloved wife up from the ground. The next thing he knew, he was in his quarters. He remembered Seto gently prying Crystal away from him, and taking her away to prepare for her burial. He then remembered Isis gently telling him to sleep, and then finally forcing him to go to sleep by casting a spell.

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The next few days were a haze for the Pharaoh. Egypt had entered a phase of mourning for their Queen, who they had been told had died in the attack upon the palace. Therefore, Yami did not currently need to govern the country – he was left alone. He stayed in his room all day.

Yami hardly ate or slept, and only did so when Isis forced him to. He remembered vaguely that his children had come to visit him the day after the attack, and how much seeing Charlotte had hurt him. She was so like her mother that Yami couldn't stand to look at her. She had left the room in tears, Atemu slowly following. But not before he told his father that it wasn't Charlotte's fault, so he shouldn't be mad at her.

Yami sighed, and rolled over on his bed, staring out into the empty room. He missed her – gods, he missed her so much. He felt the tears forming in his eyes again, and angrily sat up, trying to force them away. "Gods, I've cried enough!" he shouted angrily into the empty room.

A soft knock on the door made the Pharaoh whirl around. "Who is it?" he snapped. His moods were so unpredictable these days that few came near him except for Isis, and occasionally Mana and Mahaado, to make him eat.

Mana then entered the room, followed by Seto, Isis, and Mahaado. Mana looked as miserable as he felt, her normally sparkling eyes sad, empty, and rather bloodshot from near-constant crying.

Isis stepped forward, speaking first. "Pharaoh, we found...something that may help. Something that may give you some answers," she said hesitantly, feeling almost afraid of the look on Yami's face.

Yami sighed, still frowning. "Well, tell me!" he demanded, his slightly blood-shot eyes giving him a more menacing glare than usual.

Atemu and Charlotte then raced into the room, and Charlotte ducked behind Mana's legs. "Mama left a message for you," she said, her big blue eyes threatening to fill with tears again as her father ignored her.

Atemu walked over to hold his sister's hand. "Papa, why are you so mad at Charlotte? It's not her fault that...that Mama's gone," he said, gulping before the last and his sister squeezed his hand.

Yami still said nothing, and Charlotte started crying, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I know I look like Mama – she always said so," she said. "But Papa, please don't be mad at me. It wasn't my fault that Mama went away," she said, cowering away as her father whirled around, looking furious.

"She hasn't 'gone away', Charlotte! Your mother is dead, and she isn't coming back!" he roared, and Isis looked saddened to see what grief had done to their Pharaoh. He had never before raised his voice to his children, and Charlotte's widened eyes were proof of that.

Suddenly, she stamped her foot. "I know that!" she snapped, though she was still crying. "Mama told me and 'Temu what would happen ages ago. She knew, Papa, and she told us! So I do know she's...dead!" she said, before quietening again. "I just miss her," she said softly, and Atemu hugged his sister.

Meanwhile, Yami's eyes were wide, and he stared at his children. "What? She...she knew? She did it all on purpose?" he asked, looking bewildered as he sat down on his bed again.

Isis then stepped forward to intervene, swallowing as she prepared to deliver the news. "Pharaoh, as I was about to tell you, yes, Crystal...sorry," she said as Yami winced at his wife's name, "your wife knew what was going to happen. She found a journal of your father's that explained the prophecy regarding her and Rames. Apparently, your father lied to Crystal's family and to your mother. She left a short message in a chest in Charlotte's room, along with a few gems. Apparently she found a type of magic spell that enabled her to record her explanation. But only you can activate it," she said hesitantly, moving forward to hand Yami the small sapphires and note that she and the others had found.

Yami placed the note on the bed beside him, and glanced at the gemstones. He then stood up, and placed the four small stones in a diamond shape nearby, following the instructions on the letter. He then moved his arm vaguely and whispered the phrase that would activate her spell.

As he did so, the gems started glowing. Gemstones, although having few magical properties, had the ability to store magic. This made gemstones a 'natural' way for Crystal to record the words she could never say face-to-face with her husband. The gems then all connected by a glowing blue line, and the space between them started glowing faintly. Crystal's transparent form appeared in this space.

Yami stared in shock at the magic, as it almost seemed as though his wife had come to life before his eyes. Her image appeared to be intently studying one of the corners of the diamond. Although he expected it, the Pharaoh was shocked when the image spoke.

"_Hmm...I wonder if this is working...well, the gems are glowing...oh dear."_

The image then coughed, and straightened. _"Hello my darling. Please don't mock me for my inept use of these crystals. I have never used this spell before, and frankly, it is rather peculiar to record my thoughts verbally, rather than in writing like normal people. Oh well, it proves that I'm just special," _'Crystal' said, grinning at the last. Her smile then faded.

"_Anyway, I suppose beating around the bush isn't going to help. I can't stop what's coming, so there is no real point in delaying telling you about it. I just couldn't tell you face-to-face – the mere thought of doing so was too painful for me. So I guess, the first thing I need to say is that I'm sorry – I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you what was coming. But I didn't want you to know – it would have tainted our last days together if both of us knew,"_ she continued sadly, before sighing.

"_By the time you read this, I will already be dead. I've seen this coming for some time now, though it still seems so far away. I've known about what's coming ever since I read your father's diary, and discovered the truth about the legend foretold about me."_

"_My beloved Yami, your father was trying to protect you. He knew that if the legend came true, you would suffer. He sought to prevent that pain, but instead sealed your fate."_

'Crystal' then paused, her eyes shining as she tried to hide her tears. _"Yami, you were the one destined to defeat Rames. _You_ were supposed to give your life to save us all. But your father interfered – he told Rames about me, making me his scapegoat. But you needed me – you needed the love you felt for me to give you the strength to do what needed to be done; you needed to trust me enough to leave me behind with the country, the children, and without you. But when both our mothers died in my defence, trying to right your father's wrong, you changed. After that, you would not be able to give your life – you were vulnerable and hurt when you lost your parents. After you changed, you would not be able to leave me. You would not be able to give your life to protect Egypt, as you couldn't leave me. You loved me too much, my darling. _

The image then smiled sadly. _"When I first read that, I didn't believe it. But I watched you for a few days, and realised that it was true. You would not leave me and the children here – you loved us too much. I'm not sure how that love would be different if your father hadn't interfered, but I assume that if you had the love of your parents throughout your life, you would have been able to save Egypt or something."_

"_Like I said, I'm not sure. I don't pretend to understand the gods, their prophecies, or the way the prophecies change. I'm sure you'll understand it better than me once you get more of the facts – which you can get from your father's journal, and the letter from me inside it. By the way, that is hidden under a blanket on my side of the bed near the wall."_

"_Anyway, you may be wondering what on Earth any of this that I'm telling you has to do with my death. Well, apparently, the only way you could defeat Rames was if you gave your own life. But you wouldn't do it as long as I was still around. So..." _the image then trailed off, looking guilty as though Crystal could see Yami's furious expression.

She then sighed. _"I'm so sorry, my darling. But the only way you could save Egypt was if I wasn't in the way. I couldn't bear to run away and leave you – no, that would have been far crueller. So, I guess I just figured that the only way we could win was if I died too."_

"_I've been having that dream again – that dream where Rames kills you. I know now that what happens in my dream is what will happen if I don't act – if you die without destroying Rames, Egypt will fall. I also suspect that those events will occur on the day I die, but I can't predict the future that well. Either way, I will do everything I can to prevent that from happening – Rames will have to kill me first...which he no doubt will."_

"_I am sorry, my Yami. I did not want to leave you, but it is the only way. However, knowing you as well as I do, I know that you will not wait before you destroy the man who killed me. Don't think I'm telling you off about killing him straight away – for once in your life, I'm not mad at you about something silly you did. But you didn't know, and so it's not your fault. I suppose I should be proud that you cared about me enough to do alive what it was thought only your death could do, but I digress._

"_I know what you will do now, but know this – the fight has not ended. Because Rames died differently than he was supposed to, the fight was merely postponed. Therefore, what you are about to do becomes somewhat more urgent."_

Crystal then smiled in that knowing way of hers. _"Do not worry about the children. I've already spoken to Ishtar about taking care of them – so yes, he also knew. Do not be mad at him, please. Ishtar will help Seto in taking care of them when he acts in the role of regent. Don't look so surprised Seto; you're the most suited for the task. I know you'll take wonderful care of my babies, and if you don't, I'll haunt you, make no mistake about that,"_ she said with a grin before turning serious again.

"_Speaking of the children, as they are no doubt with you, I have a message for them too. My darlings, I love you both so much. Charlotte, Atemu, I don't know what my life would have been like without you, but I know that it wouldn't have been nearly as happy. I know you will both grow up to be magnificent rulers, and know that I'll always be watching over you, my darlings,"_ she said, smiling once more.

"_Once again, I am sorry, my beloved Yami. I would say more, but I fear I will break down crying if I do so, and thus make you feel even worse. But this is the way things had to be, as much as I wish they were different. But know this: no matter what, I will always love you. I just hope that one day you can forgive me for leaving you. But regardless, I will always love you. Goodbye, my beloved," _she said with her soft smile before the image began to disappear.

Yami, who had sat in near total silence for the whole message, suddenly moved as the image faded. Although he knew the image wasn't really his wife, it felt like she was leaving him again. And it hurt...it hurt so much. The Pharaoh then collapsed to his knees before the gems, crying into his hands again as he re-lived the loss of his wife. Charlotte and Atemu ran to their father, and their tears mingled with his.

Isis, Seto, Mahaado and Mana stood by, silent witnesses to the grief of their Pharaoh. Seto's face was expressionless, and he clutched the Rod a little tighter as he thought about Crystal's words. He had a feeling he knew what was coming, and judging by the way the others gripped their Items, they knew it as well. Mana, however, remained oblivious, and walked over to the small family to pick up Charlotte and hold her close while she tried to stifle her own tears.

Some minutes later, Yami recovered enough to pull his hands away from his face, and glanced at the gemstones. "I will always love you too," he murmured, before he felt his son's arms wrap around his neck, and he turned to hug his eldest child. He then lifted Atemu up, and murmured an apology to Charlotte for yelling at her earlier. She frowned, but nodded and said that it was alright.

Yami then looked at Mana. "Mana, if you would be so kind, could you please take the children to the nursery, and stay with them awhile? I have something I need to discuss with the others," he said, sounding almost apologetic.

Mana looked surprised, but having not really paid attention to the 'Seto as regent' thing, thought little of Yami's request, and simply nodded. "Of course," she said, turning to lead the little ones away. Charlotte demanded a hug from her father before she left, and then the room was quiet again.

Yami turned to look at his advisors, his expression near emotionless. "Send for the others," he murmured at Isis, who nodded, still holding her hand to her throat. She then disappeared down the corridor, searching for the other Item Holders.

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Sometime later, the 7 Item Holders, and Shimon (former Holder of the Puzzle) were gathered in Yami's bedroom. He had already explained what Crystal had said to the others, and they were also becoming suspicious. These suspicions of what would happen next were quickly confirmed.

The Pharaoh spoke, looking at all of his advisors in turn. "Crystal said that the fight was postponed. Therefore, I must be there when it starts again. I know in my heart that it will not start again for centuries. Therefore, in order to ensure that I will be there when the fight is began so that I may punish the man who killed my wife and tried to take my country away from me, I will seal my soul inside my Item – the Millennium Puzzle."

His advisors immediately protested, but Yami flung up his hand. "Silence! I will not be persuaded out of this! This is what needs to be done, and thus I am going to do it! My wife did not shirk her duty, and neither will I!" he thundered, looking rather angry at the worried expressions of his advisors. None of them understood – they didn't understand how much it hurt. He was going to make sure that her death, and the pain he was enduring, was not in vain. He would stop Rames if it was the last thing he did.

"I will need your aid to seal my soul away, but I have a few instructions first," he said, glancing around at the circle of his guardians, many of whom were also his trusted friends.

"Firstly, I wish for Seto, my cousin and trusted advisor, to become regent for my children in my absence. Crystal trusted you, and so do I. Take good care of them, and raise them both to be strong rulers."

Seto bowed. "Yes, my lord. I would be honoured," he said calmly, though he still gripped his Item rather tightly.

"Secondly, I wish for the Puzzle to be placed somewhere where only one worthy can find it. I do not want some hapless person finding and releasing my soul when it is not needed. When the fight begins again, someone worthy will appear and release me. Is that understood?" he said sternly, and the others nodded.

"Good," he said, glancing at his companions, and feeling tears spring to his eyes. "Lastly, I want to thank you all for your contribution to Egypt, and everything you have done for me. Let it be known that my last wish is for you to continue your work in protecting our land. Guard Egypt, and thus the reign of my children, well, my friends," Yami said, looking into the eyes of each guardian in turn. Only Isis's eyes showed her sadness, the others managed to hide their regret.

The Pharaoh of Egypt then smiled softly. "Then it is done. I ask you all to help me one last time – help me to seal my soul away. And bury me with my wife," he said softly, and Isis nodded.

"Of course my lord," she said softly. Yami then asked his friends to wait there while he went to say goodbye to the children. Both the children and Mana were visibly upset that Yami was 'leaving', but after many tearful hugs, the children finally let him leave. Charlotte was still crying as the door shut, but the straight back of her and her brother showed that their mother's strength lived on in them, and that they would both somehow recover from the loss of both their parents in such a short space of time.

The Pharaoh then moved to his bed, and lay down. The Holders then made a circle around the bed. Yami took the Puzzle off and laid it down beside him, leaving a hand on it as Shimon came to stand nearby, smiling sadly. When Yami's soul left his body, the Puzzle would still be needed to seal his soul away, and Shimon was ready to take over when Yami's magic left his body.

The Holders then began chanting. Sometime later, Yami's eyes closed and he stopped breathing as his soul took refuge in the Millennium Puzzle. It glowed brightly as it absorbed the Pharaoh's soul, and the chanting of the others died down as the Puzzle completed their work. Isis's eyes shone with tears, and even Seto looked saddened.

But as the glow faded, something that the others did not expect happened. The Puzzle instantly shattered, its many pieces spread about the bed around the body of the Pharaoh.

Isis shrieked as it happened, and Seto moved forward, his expression pale. "What went wrong? We did everything right," he muttered, looking slightly horrified at the Puzzle pieces scattered about.

The gems that Crystal had used to store her message for Yami began glowing again (they had not been moved from their earlier position), and the dead Queen's form again appeared in the space between them. Her 'spirit' looked quite sad.

"_And so Yami sealed his soul away inside the Puzzle. The sudden breaking of the Puzzle is both its own natural defensive mechanism and my way of safeguarding my husband's life. Only the one who is destined to help Yami in the final battle may solve that Puzzle, and thus it will be hidden away until that worthy soul comes across it. I believe a side effect of this defence is that Yami's memory will be affected, but, all things considered, that may not be so bad. Take care, everyone. Remember the good, forget the bad, and treasure the memory of our beloved Pharaoh. I'll be watching. Farewell."_

The 'spirit' then faded, and the room remained silent. Isis was the first to move after several minutes of motionlessness, and she quietly swept the Puzzle pieces into a gold box nearby. "We should...prepare the Pharaoh for burial...and inform the people of the changes," she said, her voice shaking as she said so. Her hands then began to shake as well, and Seto rushed over to take the Puzzle from her. He then called for the guards, and began making preparations for the burial of the two lovers and their belongings.

The next few weeks were filled with pandemonium as the country mourned its rulers, and the months afterwards were just as rocky as the government adjusted. Finally, peace was restored to society, and Seto ruled as regent until Atemu felt strong enough to take the throne at the age of 17. He was indeed a good Pharaoh, and loved by the people. His devotion to his little sister and his eventual wife and children moved the people, and inspired their trust.

Charlotte moved to Isiria when she was about 12 to start her training as the future Queen of Isiria. But she still regularly contacted her brother, and maintained a strong bond with him. She had inherited both her parent's talent for magic, and trained in it everyday. Indeed, the young princess could swear that whenever she trained, she could feel her mother's presence nearby, watching over her. But as her mother had warned her about this, she was not worried.

By the time Charlotte was 21, she was Queen of Isiria. On her 21st birthday, she was resting on her balcony, and thinking of her parents. Remembering the promise she'd made to her mother, all those years ago, she clutched the necklace around her neck. "I will never forget, Mother," she whispered, looking at the tiny portraits of her parents inside. "I pray that you both are remembered for your selfless actions in your next lives," she said before glancing out at the view of her city.

"But it's ok now, you can move on. Atemu and I will be fine – you just worry about what Father is going to do next time," she said, smiling as she imagined her mother's reaction to that remark.

"Good luck in your next lives, Mother. I know you'll succeed – just take care, and everything will be fine," she whispered again before closing the locket, and turning around at the footsteps of her personal maids. Smiling, she left the balcony, knowing that she wasn't just imagining the 'thank you, my darling' in her ears.

3000 years later, a young boy of about 14, the unknowing re-incarnation of a powerful Pharaoh, finally fitted the last piece of a magical Puzzle into place. As the Pharaoh was released from his ancient prison, his enemy also re-awakened, ready to continue their ancient war.

Yugi had no idea what he was getting himself into, but that is another story.

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Angel: It is finished! My first ever fanfiction is finally finished:D

Y.Ang: (throws confetti)

Angel: (grins) Yay for me:D

Crystal and Yami: (get up off the floor and also start cheering, thinking that their torture is done with)

Angel: (evil grin) Not so fast Yami, there is the sequel. Which you have a major role in, and thus you cannot escape.

Yami: (is horrified)

Crystal: (continues grinning) Sucks to be you, _darling_ (pokes her tongue out)

Y.Ang: (taps Crystal on the shoulder) Hey, you still have to stick around too. Angel is might use flashbacks, so you will be needed here.

Crystal: (freezes, looking shocked) But...but...that's not fair! (pouts)

Angel: (rolls eyes) Anyway, random notes before I discuss the sequel:

I would first like to apologise profusely for changing my plotline yet again (and in the last chapter too. Sheesh, I'm an idiot). I originally had the idea that Crystal was the one that was supposed to die and defeat Rames etc, but then I realised that I needed Yami to 'die' for the sequel and everything, and also that it made much more sense for him to be the one that was supposed to die etc. Therefore, there might be some discrepancies between stuff said in this chapter, and stuff said in earlier chapters. Maybe there wasn't, and I've just confused you all by saying this, but I'd like to apologise anyway.

Secondly, in relation to the first point, I plan to completely re-write this story. I won't start until the end of this year, but I will do it. The number of chapters and things might be messed up a bit, but I still plan to re-write the whole thing so that the plot is consistent, it makes more sense, and generally, (hopefully :P), improve the whole story. I will probably start doing this before I start the sequel – I need to have a good story if I'm making a sequel :P

This brings me to my third point: the sequel. Brief and somewhat jumbled summary as follows:

_A young woman named Keiko Kirei moves to Domino, and meets Yugi and the gang. They immediately bond, and Yami is confused by the connection he feels with this girl. As he struggles to figure it out, he learns that he was once a Pharaoh. His erased memory slowly begins to piece itself back together, just as Kaiba's new tournament begins. But he is still unsure of his connection with Keiko – he knows he is not in love with her, but there is something else. _

_What will Yami do when he realises that the mysterious Malak's target is not only him, but her? And what will he do when he discovers that Rames, his old enemy, is the one behind Malak's evil? And what will he do when he realises who Keiko really is – the reincarnation of his wife? _

_His task is to defeat Rames, but can he do it? What role will Keiko play? Can Yami truly forgive Crystal for what she did, or will he shun Keiko for her past self's actions? And what is the secret that Keiko hides? Only time will tell, as Yami faces his oldest enemy in a bitter showdown that will decide the fate of this world._

Angel: And that my friends, is a brief summary of the sequel. And yes, I purposefully made that last bit that dramatic :P.

Anyway, I hope that those of you who lasted this long enjoyed this story, and I look forward to seeing you in the fanfiction world in the future. Thanks for everything:D

C YA!! Angel


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